That Darn Quote!

As regards the matter of who said, “All art aspires to the condition of music,” a quote that your publication misattributed to singer Tom Waits (Dec. 22), that the “deeply chagrined” Robert Kraft insists was uttered by Vasily Kandinsky (Dec. 30) and that the “still more deeply chagrined” Ruth apRoberts (and J. L. Jonsson) attribute to Walter Pater (Jan. 6):

While I side with Kraft in support of Kandinsky, I think that both Kandinsky and Pater would agree that Kraft, apRoberts and Jonsson should set aside their differences, cast off their chagrin and try to live in peace.

There is already too much chagrin in the world. I said that.

JIM LEWIS

Los Angeles