System Number: 09059
Date: [10 April 1890?][1]
Author: JW
Place: London
Recipient: George Ravenscroft Dennis[2]
Place: [London?]
Repository: Special Collections, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, VA
Call Number: The Tracy W. McGregor Library, Box #17
Document Type: ALS
21, CHEYNE WALK,
CHELSEA.
Private[3]
My dear Dennis -
This is the copy of telegram[4]:- "To the Editor - "
"Recieved [sic] your Poster - thanks - charming! You have forgotten the final S. -
Whistler".
Do copy it with punctuation and all like the above -
Of course you [p. 2] will omit the name of the d—n paper - Say that having rec The Editor[5] of some City Newspaper in his fear that Mr Whistler might not, by ordinary means come upon such publication, and so miss altogether a more or less abusive article upon himself, sent to him, folded into the small space of an envelope, a huge monster hand bill, upon which was printed in letters of flaming red the headline:
"Whistler's Scalp."
The following is the telegram wired back by that [City's general printers?] that amiable artist. - -
Mind you post me a couple of copies tonight -
I leave town tomorrow morning for a few days and so shall not see you at the club, to express to you my pleasure at the pretty way you do this thing, until my return -
Que Dieu vous garde![6]
[butterfly signature]
This document is protected by copyright.
Notes:
1. [10 April 1890?]
This presumably dates from immediately before another copy of JW's telegram, which appears in an article dated 12 April 1890, #11301 (see below).
2. Dennis
The name is not entirely legible, but may be that of George Ravenscroft Dennis (fl. 1891-1924), writer, and co-author of Way, Thomas Robert, and G. R. Dennis, The Art of James McNeill Whistler, London, 1903. A review of that book is associated with the letter.
3. Private
Double underlined.
4. copy of telegram
See #13789.
5. Editor
Presumably the Editor of The Rialto.
6. Que Dieu vous garde!
Fr., God keep you.