Smyrna times., 1882-01-18
Our ESthetic Visitor,

Mr.. Oscar Wilde, the young English
poet, who is popularity believed TO be the
original of Du Maubier's = POstlcthwaite." :"
and is rccoznizcd in London as the leader
OF the aesthetic movement, arrived i'm this
| city last week. The following sketch Of
Mr. Wide was prepared by an ardent
aesthetic whose enthusiasm has perhaps
lea Aim TO somewhat OVerGstimatC the
greatness OF his reVercd leader
me Master IS among US and although
the WcTshippers Of the Beautiful will hast
en- tol lay theirl lilies at his grand and earnest
feet, there be those who know him not
10 them it may be told that the Master is
the son-speaking after the manner of
worldings-of Sir William Wilde. a we'll
known Irish oculist, and of Lady Wilde.
that sweet soft thistle Of poesy, in whose
verses signed "Speranza," are found the
promise and potency of the poetry Of her
marvellous son. He is about twenty
eight years old and graduated from Mag
dSlen College, Oxford, in 1878, when he
won the Newdigatc Prize fer English
verse, and he has since devoted himself to
the cause Of which lie is the revcrad leader.
lie IS tall, with broad shoulders. and vet
with lily-like grace of form His face is
oval, with chin of imperial splendor and
an earnestly precious nose His hair flows
over his shoulders. and, like the glorious
dawn, he IS beardless. Clothed with a
white lily, and few other less utterly
divine garments, he is Beauty and Soul
and Horticulture and Silent Music mingled
| together.
1t IS Is the Incarnation OF asthcllci.u
and The ayater OF the uuultcrable that the
Master is chiefly known in this country.
Americans have gained some little know
ledge OF him from studying the solemn and
beautiful ceremonies of Ptiipncc. a "mvs-
! terry, which the proiane vainly regard as u
trivial and amusing farce. and in which the
Master Is held up to our admiration under
the Su!@c oI lfunthCrne -ilsthctGsn has
been fash!y defined as he search for the
/ beautiful, but those who have studied the
words "t the Master as written in his vol
! ulne o. poems. know that this is but halt
lne truth. The ;csthete revcres Beauty.
bat he also reVeres ali that is unthinkablc
ana intensely uniformed perceives the
! supernal beauty Of uglints= The ncarncss
! or ne Infinitely remote, and he is, as one
0. he minor poets has exquiSitely sung.
- pure as the perfume of parting.
As subtle and sanity as sin
The Master has lab0red but in vain if he
has not taught these great and blush
| yellow truths. lie mas shown us how
blessed and compact are the hollowness
and Worthlessness Of life lie has lead US
with his Reckoning lily into the enchanted
land where all is beauty, and where by
comparison even gas and gaitera would
seem prosalG and earthly He is come as
| missionary of the aesthetic to the benighted
millions of America to whom lily is moth
ing but lily. and who have never dream
ed that il is music and religion and ancient
and modern languages and the use of the
| globes and perforated chest protector.
TO doubt his success would be 10 doubt
the sanity ho'h Of the Master and of his
disciples
While he is here The Master will not
only lecture as The cawhly-minded would
doubtless characterize his priceless utter
ances-bnt will produce on the stage a
tragedy which he has written. We who
may live to see not only the beginning.
but the second OF even the third act of that
tragedy, will have known Joys sadder than
any surprise party, and moro cooling and
soothing than purgatOrial flames. = Hay-
| P'r'S Weekly. J0H. IT, 1882