Whistler's view that the artist was sporadic, a happy chance, a "sport," in fact, was a new view, and Oscar had not yet reached this level; he reviewed the master in the _Pall Mall Gazette_, a review remarkable for one of the earliest gleams of that genial humour which later became his most characteristic gift: "Whistler," he said, "is indeed one of the very greatest masters of painting in my opinion.

And I may add that in this opinion Mr.Whistler himself entirely concurs." Whistler retorted in _The World_ and Oscar replied, but Whistler had the best of the argument....

"Oscar--the amiable, irresponsible, esurient Oscar--with no more sense of a picture than of the fit of a coat, has the courage of the opinions ...

of others!" It should be noted here that one of the bitterest of tongues could not help doing homage to Oscar Wilde's "amiability": Whistler even preferred to call him "amiable and irresponsible" rather than give his plagiarism a harsher attribute.
Oscar Wilde learned almost all he knew of art[8] and of controversy from Whistler, but he was never more than a pupil in either field; for controversy in especial he was poorly equipped: he had neither the courage, nor the contempt, nor the joy in conflict of his great exemplar.
Unperturbed by Whistler's attacks, Oscar went on lecturing about the country on "Personal Impressions of America," and in August crossed again to New York to see his play "Vera" produced by Marie Prescott at the Union Square Theatre.

It was a complete failure, as might have been expected; the serious part of it was such as any talented young man might have written.