Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-01

d-muck WIN tn6lr usual grdceIul ana VIII
less criticism. They attracted the public
attention to me-"
''What was your opinion of the news
papers?"
s'Full of news, but edited without judg-
ment; written with minimum amount of
brains and good English, and put together
without regard to truth or decency."
perhaps the newspaper press is respon-
slble for your somewhat obvious ill-will
against Americans?"
''Do you think it obvious? 1t is only in
appearance, for l admire America and
Americans just as I would any other curl
osity. I have nothing but the kindliest
feelings for the Americans, and the news
papers are full of interest and monstrously
enterprising. If they sought to be pol
ished with the same asiduity they seek to
be sensational, they would be much i'm
proved. What complain of, to be par
ticular, is the fact that they are written by
incompetent men, or rather, certain sub
jects are handled by incompetent pens.
The man who excels as descriptive
writer on subjects such as fires and arrests
in gaming houses is not the man to write
intelligently about a static from the hand
of great sculptor-at least not always
and how can the man whose musical ear
has the training only of a street-music
write fairly or we'll of Berlioz's 'Damna-
ton of Faust?' AS for art, the ordinary
newspaper writer in America gained his
knowledge of it by studying art through
the glass panes of print-shop, and his
knowledge of architecture in enforced con-
temptation of the walls of jails."
Here somebody said that the newspapers
in America had credited Mr.. Wilde with
having created sensation in the Lotus
club when he made that remark before.
Mr.. Wilde said: 81 did say so before, and
it is none the true in that l have repeated
it.
Then he went on: s'What impresses itself
upon the unprejudiced observer is, that the
newspapers are stamped with incompe-
tency. They do lots of great big things,
but nothing is rounded IN and completed.
They are loose and flying, like silken
scarf torn and waved by unsteady hands,"
''What art did you find in American
''What you might expect in new coun-
try. The Catholic religion has fostered
love for Nadonnas and altar-studies. The
vast sweeps of prairie, the grand mountain
and landscape scenery, the tumbling falls
of Niagara, than which nothing is grander
in the world, have not, as one might have
thought, impressed an artistic sentiment.
The fact is that art-love has not yet per-
manency in America. That has got to be
created. There are some magazines and
periodicals that make very nice pictures
and print them; but that kind of picture,
while requiring some skill, is not art. It is
elementary only"
Sand the literature?"
'There is, it seems to me, the founda-
ito for an excellent school of literature
in the states, 1t is marked by many signs
of promise. It is too clannish, however.
There are half-a- dozen or so who are active
workers in the field of literature, who mo-
nopolize the seats in its highest places.
These are Mr.. Howells, James, Aldrich,
Mrs. Burnett, Mrs. Stuart Phelps, Gable,
and one or two Others"
''And do you not think they are entitled
to their high position?"
'sMost assuredly, for if they were not
they could not hold it. There are among
them, as a leaven to their protective sys-
tenn of maintaining. the best places. a
goodly number of women, who share their
honors."
''Are you going back to American"
'sNot 1, indeed"
''They made it pretty warm for you, did
they not?" asked friend.
II was very comfortable. But there be-
gins the music Mr.. Wilde came forward
from the mantelpiece, and taking the
| arm of his brother Willie, sauntered out of
the lounging room into the large hall of
Raleigh house, where smoking concert
| was just beginning.
The half-dozen who had gathered about
him in the managers lounging parlor were
his acquaintance and friends. Among
them was the Times correspondent. When
Mr.. Wilde had gone a gentleman said:
Il fear Oscar is very much embittered
| by the loss of his money. the fact is,
they got nearly $1,000 from him,
| and one check only did he succeed in
stopping. A chap calling himself A. j.
| Drexers son called on him,
| wanted him to see pic
ture by Millet, led him into a con-
fdence game, and then, when he remon-
strated, he was thrown out. The whole
| story was told by friend of his to Brit
| ish consular officer, from whom have it.
Then he was very much involved in the
Langtry escalandre. He had espoused her
too warmly, and made some enemies try
ing to bring her into dinner party. He
was CURLY written to and told that the din
I