The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-12
DECORATIVE ART.
Oscar Wilde az the Theafre-Hou fbe
Srcaf Apostle Of Elsfhcticf-m
Looked.

The announcement contained in the CITY
papers for several DAYS past, 9 Oscar Wilde
Coming" was-followed by the appearance
last night at the Theatre Of the great
aesthetic lover Of arr, the sunHower. and
the Gala lily. 1t was after O'Clock before
the doors Of the Theatre were opened for
I the admission Of ticket-hOlders. Al fhir-
teen minutes 10 O'Clock the building con-
talned q matter Of two hundred people. 0
maj ority Of whom were citizens of culture
ana refinement. while the odd percentage
comprised men Of no wei defined status.
curious visitors, press-mcn. and other mis-
celE1neOus ODDS and ends Of humanity.
As 10 the appearance Of things on the
stage. the little table from which the amos
Tie afterwards GRATED had it, wrong end
turned towards the audience. showing the
careless or violent displacement az n
drawer. and Offering vivid contrast and
commentary on the apOstle's love Of har-
ln0ny and bis perception Of the beautiful
IN art.
There Were, besides on the stage a settee
and three chairs. aud the aesthetic eve I'M
agined il could trace on it,
LlLAt-CoLORED NEF BACK
representations Of the gorgeous sunnower.
Japanese buttcrflies. Gala lilies. and other
significant and artistic intimatiOns OF the
beautiful and the true.
Jusi before o, some impotence being
manifested. "a hiar-ted Britishcr" A.
peared with glass OF water. which hc
placed on the table, and quickly vanishing.
NJ. Wilde suddenly evolved from cen
ue scene and bowed to hi. audience.
II Is not proposed 10 repeat his piatitudes
on " Decorative Art" they being already
familiar 70 the public 10y numerous publi-
cations, but 20 give some crude impressions 5
0f the man a. he appeared. Mr.. Wilde
was dressed in TIE Oft-dcscrihcd silk small
clothes, including Enee-brcrches. &c. silk
velvet surtout. old ~tylc. -atin-iined. There
was pending from his neck q long ARRAY Of
WHITE DNlTY CORRUGATED INFO NUMEROUS
EUFFLEs.
and extending some distance down the
diaphragm. Mr. Wilde, appearance wa,
greeted with slight applause. which
quickly subsidins hc prccipiatcd himself
HOicits UOic3S into his subject.
Ills hair. which was OF brown texture.
wa. parted in the middle and worn in
Buffalo Bill. only the Gsthctc l. hy no mean,
80 comcly specimen OF manhood ~ the
great Indian scout and prairie warrior.
There was observed IN IN, acceutuation q
slight lisp. apparently acquired Tor society
aud occurring purposes. Iii, facial integu-
ment~ are broad and long and OF the style
known IN rural Virginia ~ the hGr,e-head
pattern. No beard was observable
lila ID
ton oi the word secondhand. which hc
insisted was no good entirely The Gothic
castles and churches OF Europe might bc
secondhand, bm they were a, good now.
i not better. than wher fir; built. WHY:
Becau,e they were well built and with 2
view 10 art proportions.
Dir. Wiidr's voice j. q monOtonOus mon
otone, broken only 10y few infections.
Hc occasionally
DALIIEp WITH ITS wEIsT-EUFFLEs
and the old-iasnioned watch->eal hang
ina IN front OF hi, abdominal cavity. A
>0uliess party not IN harmony with art or
apUTcclaiiyc Of H. beautics suggested his
belief that the apostles hair. becauso ~ il,
negiige. abandon. and prOfuse redundancy
was q property wig from the Theatre stock.
some OF Mr.. Wilde's remarks were eiO-
Qucni wOrd-paIntlug, and all OF them
suited 10 that description OF party having
unlimited command ~ elegant leisure and
q moderate stock % ready rhino. lie
treated building and dress from an &,th, tic
standpoint. l. was remarked that the
apostle did not have enough neck for bis
breadth Oi beam or height. some appear
ance Of prem0nitory emb0np0im-the
effect doubtless Of American iuleps and
other astheticaliy-prep occidental ca--
tronomiC cOmp0unds-was plainly Obscrya-
bic.
ONE UNsT3PATHETIC LADY LISTENER
advanced the opinion that were the apostle
suitably fixed up with feminine to9gery
and the usual makc-up OF painted wrinkles
be would make % hrsi-cia-s stage old
woman sort ~ Meg Merriies, a, il We're.
Hs remark that every city wanted "a school
OF decorative aIT was thought not 90 Dee
applicable to Richmond. a. most oi iis Gri
t. TOO decorative He spoke Of the help
le-sn,s> of Texas in thc matter u manu-
factilred goods: Of hcr having 90 -end all
thc way 10 Chicago ior abomluahiy made
ND and ill-contrived furniture when she
Should make them herself 4 cautious
uarfv in tine auditory thinking Oi the al-
pucabiiry OF these remark 10 Virginia -,
Texas said audibiy: "Alice same mere
Mclean man.
Nj. Wilde thought that The people should
make the common things OF liic beautiful.
In tl- connection be- mentioned wood
carving. and thought that
An HUMBLE TBooH-HANDLE
mlehi be so adorned and Il, upwith genius
az 90 become
A .iiing Of beauty and O ioy lorcvcr~
He thought little taste Wa displayed iu
making 80 many southern HOUSES Whiic.
Why not. h. said. make them - color ~
natures own su@-csting-hroVn. FOR ln-
stance, or some other indicating cooinc,a.
CHILDREN.
The msthcte. speaking OF children. said
he had found them subject 10 only TWO in-
fuence--that Of kindness and OF duty.
In this he entirely ignored the cvcT-present
paddle or the maternal sllpper-both, -
al bov, know. visible and tangible evl
dence> Of that great lexicon OF youth ID
which there !. no such word a. iail lie
said there was no better way Of loving na-
fure than hv q knowledge oi art.
Two thirds OF the ladies present. II j.
hardlc injustice 10 them 10 say. did not un-
derstand in their entirety the apostles
Gorid remarks. Neither did TIE male per-
.oue ureseni. An allusiOn 10 beautiful
women and their influence was recognized
bv the auditory a. having q personal appl-
cation 10 that section Of the fair sex pre-
sent. and was received with yOciier0us ac-
claim.
Mr.. wILDE's PERORATI0N
wa, clothed IN the language Of the poet no
less than the lover of his fellow-men and
women, and was eloquent worG-paintlnG.
This delivered. he bowed and eyoluted
from the gaze OF admirIng hundreds a.
suddenly rs he came. The audience then
cloudy disDer-el