ANECDOTES OF SIR EDWIN LANDSEER.
A story is told of a rebuke Sir Edwin Landseer once received from a stern guardian of the law at South Kensington. Sir Edwin was looking round the galleries, when on one of his own pictures he saw some dust, and with his own handkerchief he gently brushed it off. The policeman detected him, and inquired: "What are you a-doin' of there, touching them pictures?" "I've often touched this one before," Sir Edwin replied. But the constable did not recognize the painter, and looking on the confession as impudence, replied: "Oh, you 'ave, 'ave you! Hall right! You just come along with me!" Sir Edwin was marched off to the authorities, and the constable began his story about having seen "this 'ere man pulling the pictures about," when, to his great astonishment, he was welcomed with every demonstration of respect and courtesy. The active and intelligent officer, being told that he might go, went on his way sorely perplexed. On another occasion a friend of Sir Edwin, who accompanied him to Kensington Museum on the first occasion of its exhibition by gas light, relates that Landseer stopped short before his large picture, "A Visit to Waterloo." "I must have been mad," said he, "when I painted that." And walking up to the picture he placed his hand over the part which had attracted his criticism. An attendant policeman shouted his polite caution: "Now, then, take your 'ands off there!" "My good man," said Sir Edwin, "I was merely remarking how bad that was." "Then why don't you go and do better?" said the policeman, who had no idea to whom he was speaking. "Quite right, quite right! I am ashamed of it!" returned Sir Edwin.—Indian Young Folks.