The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-02-21
WILDE AS POET.

mere Is uO uOuOl tiias w INN ''>
the initiative faculty largely and ad-
miration of Keats seems the KEY to the
inspiration by which he clothes his
pleasant conceits with undenlaDle
poetic skill and effect. In the arcana
of mind are stretches of impassloned
area, to which thoughts from congen-
ial sources flow and leaven 1t INTO
strength. There is no contaglon more
catching under favorable conditions
and these grow of the attraction that
springs from like mental Pecuharltles'
like objects of devotion or veneratlon'
like tastes and desire. 1t may not be just
to consider any faculty initiative that
is rooted in the structure of mind, or
at least just to consider it so, only SO
far as it takes its shape and its office
from the ruling influence. No one Can
read the sonnets of Keats and those OF
Wilde without detecting the likeness OF
poetic SAVIOR that pervades them. There
is the masters subtlety and strength IN
Keats which the other lacks, but the
extent and cause involve nicer ap-
probation of the laws of mental rela-
ton than the layers of feshly apparel
in which our minds move and strive
permit The dead Keats stands in the
relation of feeder to the live Wilde; OF
Goals to feed his fires he studlously
avails himself. But the dead Keats
stands in that relation to thousands,
and yet fills the world with his old Pro.
methean heat, of which his every poem
is a trimming and inexhaustible sup
ply. A comparison of the two minds
precipitates Wilde into an unsavory
sink of abasement. The fall is incident
to the provocation. He is not worthy
of any mention in connection with the
marvellous boy whom we know as
Keats, who appeared IN the worlds
sky as brilliant star at the broad noon
of poetry, and as suddenly disappear
ed. Keats was high-souled and pure,
and his genius fell on the universal
mind like the keen light of stars. This
unripe and much impaired youth,
whose ideal is profaned in the abase.
ment of the life into which he has
fallen, and from which there can be no
rescue, has the painful presence Of
more or less material which mi ht
originally have done its part in the or
ganization of a Keats. Yet he is daily
a willing spectacle, at price, in what
ever field or forum he is permitted to
be shown.
THE BRENNAN Banner has under
taken the enormous task of educating
the democratic party up to sense of
duty and patriotism, while the task is
utterly fruitless we can't but admire
the heroism and perseverance displayed
by the Banner. In depricating the
manner in which the democracy is
managed the Banner says:
Half a dozen leading politicians at
Austin can put their heads together
and save the people and the newspa-
pers a vast deal of time, talk, writing,
printing and reading; they can not
only seelct a candidate for governor
but they can select the candidates for
all the state officers from governor
down, and having selected them they
can engage the services of the minor
politicians in each county to go to
work and manufacture public opinion
in their respective neighborhoods, and
when the precinct meetings are called
half dozen or a dozen men will be
on hand to manage them; delegates
will be elected to the county conven-
ton pledged to support a certain man
for governor; he having been previous
ly selected by the few leading pollti-
c;onc tho cou,ty convention will then