Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-07
Oscar Wilde Sees ssPatiencc.o
THE POET AT THE sTANDARD-HIs COMMENTS on THE
PART or BCNTHORNE.

THE POET AT STANDARD-HIS COMMENTS on TIL
PART or BUNTHORNE.
New York Tribune. Jan. 6.
Oscar Wilde, the poet and the apostle OF aesthet-
cism. went to see " Pattence' at the Standard
theater last night. The party of which he was
one arrived at the theater about half-past s.
LADY Jane" was telling "Patience'what love was
"In it," she was saying, there is transceBden-
tally OF dellriun, an acute accentaton of supTe-
NEST ecstasy, which the earthly might easily mis-
taken for indigestion" The audience was pom
dering over this sentence so that the entrance of
Mr.. Wilde and his friends WAS hardly noticed at
first. 4. A. Hayes led the way to the box, fol-
lowed by Mrs. Hayes ana Miss Gabrielle Greeley
MIR. Wilde bringing up the rear. The poet had Oh
heavy ulster, VITA fur cuffs end collar. a fur
cap and white Kid gloves His faultiesS shirt front
Was relieved by one enormous stud or some co..
ored stone In the center, and Il red silk handEer-
chief protruded from his waistcoat He wore
pumps. The other members of the party were
Mrs. Sargent, OF Boston, Miss Mack Mrs. II. Cur
u.s. Mrs. Lille. Mr and Mrs. Francis Willet, Col
onel and Mrs. w. F. Morse. and Miss Helen Le-
noir. They occupied tie two lower boxes on the
south side Of the theater which connect with the
stage.
Mr.. Wilde at first stood up In the rear box out Of
had a good view of him. There were numberless
opera glasses turned toward the poet, but he
appeared entirely unconscious of the scrutiny.
Most OF the time he chattsd pleasantly with the
ladies' but he watched the performance carefully,
Notwithstanding. When '.Reg1nald Bunthornea
y. H. Ryleyl came on the stage the whole audience
one of the ladies' and said with smile, looking at
"BunthCrne:'
'Ths is one Of the compliments that mediocrity
pays to those who are not mediocre"
After the first act the whole party, Including
the standard, who had recently gone to the box,
went behind the scenes: Mr.. Wilde was intro
duced to Miss Burton and Miss Roche and other
members OF the company. Mr. Ryley sta1d in his
dreSsing-rOom, although he Is to meet Mr.. Wilde
to-day. There were some fifty persons who waited
IN the lobby to see the poet as he came out after
the opera. After they had been there about fif-
teen minutes and the audience had gone and most
OF the lights were turned down, and the aesthetic
DID not appear, they sent in committee to see
from w. +. Morse that Mr.. Wilde had slipped out
another way about ten minutes before.
reception was given to Mr. Wilde yesterday
afternoon by Mr. and Mrs. Augustus A. Hayes, jr,
were introduced to the poet in the parOr, the
decorations OF which were said to be appropriate
large Japanese umbrella formed a canopy I'm one
corner, behind the spot where the poet stood
Mr.. Wilde was dressed In black, and received his
visitors with graceful talk and manners.
HOW he LOOKS
The World supplies the following esthetic de-
scription of the personal appearance OF Mr..
Wilde:
personally Mr.. Wilde suggests Greek porticos
and DOric columns, with open spaces looking
towards the blue Kgean, and near by the Venus
OF Milo or chaste Diana to furnish the necessary
antithesis. To consider Mr.. Wilde from an even
more artistic point OF view, he might fifty make
third OF this calm group. His face is that OF a
colossal maiden untroubed by heated visions but
over which at times beams a certain JOyOuSneSs
wholly Greek. at the sight OF the largeneSs or
beauty OF nature. In its lines 1t is essentially
their soft curves indicate none OF the weakness
which might hastily attach to the adjective.
Otherwise his broad sturdy physique is as English
as II trained in athletics instead OF aesthetics"