New-York tribune., 1882-03-05
xrxy WORK nAuy TRIBUNE SUNDAY 1saTWELvE PAGES

He used It, word for word in his lecture here, when
he beg cd his audience not to judge gstheticSm by
Mr.. Gilbcrts satro-the satire then being COM
pared to the same dust and bubble. Either he has
forgotten this he is working his Imagination for
more than it is worth.
Mr. Wilde seems to be troubled with two kinds of
prosecutors. One is the "provincia press (which
we take it is a malicious reference TO those journals
which are published in Boston and Chicago-aud the
other an "itinerant libecr of New ngand," name
not given. But he has time to waste on them.
" Youth being so porous art so godlike, and
the very word about us so full OF beautiful
things and things worthy Of reverence and
things honorable, how should one stop to
listen to tho lucubrltions of literary
Cq0,ia, to the brawng and mouthing Of a man
whose praise would be as insolcnt as his SLAM
der is impotcHt or to the irresponsible chatter of
the professionally unproductjycW That is fine
passage. II opens in an uncommonly beautiful man
ner, but the concluding portion is couched IN Ian
guage which seems to uS more earthly than was
to have been expected from glorious youth filed
with godlile art and surrounded by a beautiful
world The ecstacy grows Mr. Wilde proceeds.
"Who, after all that [ shouli write ol him. is the
scribbliug anonymunculc Of grand Old Massachu-
sctts who scraYls and screams SO glibly of
what he cannot understandp We give it
up We have no personal knowledge Of the ways
OF the auouymunculc. but we have no doubt that
he is entirely beneath the notice OF glOrIOus youth
devoted to godlikc ar, Who are these scrlbes.'
continues Mr. Wilde, "who, passing with purpose
less alacfy from the police news to the Partheuon'
and from zine 20 CIi.cismsway with such serene M
cauacity the Office which they lately swept Mar
cssuses OF Inbccihty' what should they sec in the
clear waters Of Beauty and in the w'll undehcd
of truth but the shifting and shadowy image OF
their substantial >tupidityW
If we interpret that passage accurately,
Mr.. Wilde is represented III it by the
"Parthcnon,' and the waters OF Beauty and we
are somewhat surprised to see issue from such pure
sources such common eXprcssi us rs brawllng and
Inouthng" irresponsible and Irrcpres,ible chatter
"scribbling anonymunculc,' scrawls and screams
and stupidity" Is this the language Of "su-
prcmest ecstacy"i If is, then Patience is right
when she SAYS the truly happy never seem quite
well.D The letter may not he genuine. 1t may he
the product of some scribbling anonymuncula,' or
"Narcis,us of Imbeciluy." Mr. Wilde's compost
tions and the satires upon them so closely RESENT
blc each other that there Is always great diff
fculty in deciding which is which. 1.-The meaning
doesn't matter if it's only idle chatter OF rauscen
dental kind" We do not propose to bother Our
selves about it. NewYork is not asSaiIed in the
cpi4lc Grand Old Massachusetts, Is accused of
harborngan "itncraut iiheler' who is sa"scribbling
anonvmuncule" and if She is willing to remain
quiet under the charge we have nothing to say eN-
ccpt that We shall have our opinion OF Mds9lchu-
scttS