which I had no righteous claim. My solicitor,
to whom I mentioned the matter, was of opinion that
I might justifiably pocket the seven hundred and fifty
pounds as reward for my mother’s benevolence
in buying a presumably worthless picture from an obscure
painter. But he failed to convince me that I
ought to be paid for my mother’s virtues, though
we agreed that neither I nor my mother had received
any return in the shape of pleasure in contemplating
the work, which had deteriorated considerably by the
fading of the colors since its purchase. At last
I went to Brown’s studio with the picture, and
told him that it was worth nothing to me, as I thought
it a particularly bad one, and that he might have it
back again for fifteen pounds, half the first price.
He at once told me that I could get from any dealer
more for it than he could afford to give me; but he
told me too that I had no right to make a profit out
of his work, and that he would give me the original
price of thirty pounds. I took it, and then sent
him the man who had offered me the eight hundred.
To my discomfiture Brown refused to sell it on any
terms, because he considered it unworthy of his reputation.
The man bid up to fifteen hundred, but Brown held
out; and I found that instead of putting seven hundred
and seventy pounds into his pocket I had taken thirty
out of it. I accordingly offered to return the
thirty pieces. Brown, taking the offer as an
insult, declined all further communication with me.
I then insisted on the matter being submitted to arbitration,
and demanded fifteen hundred pounds as the full exchange
value of the picture. All the arbitrators agreed
that this was monstrous, whereupon I contended that
if they denied my right to the value in exchange, they
must admit my right to the value in use. They
assented to this after putting off their decision
for a fortnight in order to read Adam Smith and discover
what on earth I meant by my values in use and exchange.
I now showed that the picture had no value in use
to me, as I disliked it, and that therefore I was
entitled to nothing, and that Brown must take back
the thirty pounds. They were glad to concede
this also to me, as they were all artist friends of
Brown, and wished him not to lose money by the transaction,
though they of course privately thought that the picture
was, as I described it, a bad one. After that
Brown and I became very good friends. He tolerated
my advances, at first lest it should seem that he
was annoyed by my disparagement of his work. Subsequently
he fell into my views much as you have done.”
“That is very interesting,” said Sir Charles. “What a noble thing—refusing fifteen hundred pounds! He could ill afford it, probably.”
“Heroic—according to nineteenth century notions of heroism. Voluntarily to throw away a chance of making money! that is the ne plus ultra of martyrdom. Brown’s wife was extremely angry with him for doing it.”
“It is an interesting story—or might be made so,” said Erskine. “But you make my head spin with your confounded exchange values and stuff. Everything is a question of figures with you.”