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Paris, November 16th/94

Dear Mr. Hecker,

I arrived in Paris on Saturday last the 10th inst. and the following afternoon Dewing came --- Well, it's been one continued whirl ever since. This morning we separated for the day so as to give each one of us a chance to make some personal calls and to also attend to correspondence. Surely my own is sadly behind.

I had no letters forwarded from Paris, consequently upon arrival here, I found four from you No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 and this afternoon No. 6 came.

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Paris is very gay, and amusing and interesting and instructive. My first visit to the Luxembourg and first sight of the treasures of the Louvre gave me peculiar sensations --- in some instances like that of meeting an old and valued friend and finding him more charming than ever --- in others just the opposite emotions --- and then the discovery that some painting which heretofore had been without interest as known from photographs possessed undreamed of charm have to the experience a novelty hard to describe. How splendid the "Winged Victory: and the "Venus of Milo" --- I would wager anything that both are by the same artist. And the Infata by Velasquez, how graceful and rich in color! Whistler has been perfectly charming. He called upon me at my hotel during the terrible wind storm of last Monday evening --- since when I have lunched twice at his beautiful little home.

Last night he presided at a dinner gotten up by Dewing, MaoMonnies and myself. It was given for the pick of the young American painters, sculptors and architects now working in Paris. Youngsters with their medals still to win but of talent. They proved a very bright lot --- the cream of the hundreds here --- and bright lot --- the cream of the hundreds here --- and Whistler was simply immense! The affair opened at eight o'clock in an old, curious, tumbledown restaurant in the Latin Quarter and lasted until practically daylight. Thirteen sat down ---- and later we wished that thirteen hundred might have been present to enjoy the sport. We had Walker Club Whisky which pleased the fellows. They