Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-02
Good Stories Concerning the Famous
Apostle of EStheticism,
THE BEGINNING OF THE CRAZE.
His Famous Saying, 81 Believe in Love as
/ Believe in God"
AN AMERICAN wOMAEs BRIGHT IDEA
WRITTEN FOR THR DrspArcH.l


ate, or ideal He was never understood by
his playmates, such boys seldom are-their
sensitive natures are so easily tortured that
they lead a life of misery among their
cruder companions He did not join in their
games, and would often burst into q storm
of tears for no apparent reason.
His school life was not happy till he
came to Oxford-which, as few know, is the
paradise of Platonic lovers. A new world
was opened to him.
Oxford is less serious, less athletic than
Cambridge; but more romantic, more poetic,
and above all is the home of those strange
intimacies, those unaccountable passions
which are just beginning to be noticed in
literature, but which have long existed in
life, and which form the romance In the
life of most college students.
ORDINARY STUDENTS.
There are, of course, the ordinary students
at Oxford-studious and living the ordinary
English university life; but, am told, that
there are secret societies, little circles of
young enthusiasts, the future poets, and
authors, and painters, and Oscar Wildes-
who lavish all their poetry, sentiment and
passion on each other.
OF course We can all remember our board
ing school loves and jealousies, but we had
fancied the English boy too tough for senti-
ment and too healthy for anything but
football. In those DAYS at Oxford besuti-
full boy held comb like ''madonna-mia"
of the middle ages, and a lovely eyebrow,
Rossetti mouth or Greek outline called forth
a host of champions and adorers, Everyone
went mad over beauty-a harmless passion
indeed, and probably awakened the poetic
instinct in many a rough young beef-eater,
who otherwise might have drunk away his
evenings at the pot-house. This craze re-
vived the study of the Italian poets and con-
talns the way to much that developed in Os-
car Wilde's after life, for it was into this
strange undercurrent of university life that
our abused Irish boy dived headlong at
once, and became Its chief priest and pilot.
Most of his early poems were inspired by
these Platonic friendships.
A MEEK SCHOLAR.
He was rated very high in all the classics,
but was the especial pride of the university
in Greek. The old professors predicted
brilliant future for him, and when he left
the college he was offered an important
post at the University of Athens, but he
longed for a more sensational life, and had
determined to try his future in America
that land of artistic ignorance and pork
packing. Dry settling down to classical
research in Athens scarcely tempted him,
however much mentally be might be suited
for it.
His poetical sensibility had been excited
in every abnormal direction; he had been
the idol of his mothers drawing room and
he preferred the quick to the dead.
Estheticism was then at its last gasp in
London-having been at its height about15
years before. But what had been confined
to a small select circle had now become gen.
eral. Real @stheticism existed several years
before it was known or spoken of at all, but
by thisstime it had passed through the most
artistic circles and became common prop
erty, sneered at on the street, laughed at in
the newspapers, and only kept alive IN
the minor drawing rooms of Kensington.
He, forlorn, bilious-looking young man,
who wandered sadly down Piccadilly gaz-
ing in love-lorn fashion at the lily, was a
fact aud not an invention of the poet, but
am afraid he thought more of the chances Of
getting on to Pears soap advertisement
than of higher art life.
A BELIEVER IN LOVE.
Fat old women wrapped themselves in
saffron-colored robes and lay on the hearth
rug at our poets feet and wept, while he in
wonderful stained-glass attitude, exclaimed,
81 believe in love as I do in Godp' Who
would dig in Athens after this?
Then Du Maurier and Patience" piled
mp the agony and the gentle Oscar thought
it was time to awaken America from its bar
barity.
He came to New York with some good
letters of introduction, very little money
and scarcely knowing how he should 90 70
work to strike the first blow, but Fortune
soon favored the brave in most unexpected
manner. 1t was at a performance of
Patience house was packed to the
doors, brilliant American woman sat in
a box with popular manager. He was
speaking of the remarkable spread of
these new ideas and the craze over
the costumes in Patience" when her
eyes happened to alight on Oscar Wilde,
then clothed in decent, conventional black,
leaning diseonsolately against pillar, for
his money was nearly all gone and his in
Productions mad brought him nothing but
invitations to dinner. She said, "Why do
you envy the success of this burlesque?-
there is the original Bunthorne himself
why don't you do something with him?"
That very night she brought the two to-
gether and the campaign was planned.
HIS MENTORS.
Before leaving England Whistler had
posted him up with some art ideas. in case
Of need, but he had never given lecture in |
bis life before. Everyone knows the |
brilliant success of his first appearance at |
Chickerlng Hall, and the details of his tour
here are too well known to speak of. In |
many places he was received with admira- /
ion and enthusiasm, in some with abuse
In Long Branch the evening he was going
o lecture row of ladies and gentlemen (?1 |
ormed in the corridors outside his door at
he hotel, and when be came out pelted and
struck him with immense sun-howers, till
he was obliged to beat retreat. When he
appeared in the hall the audience shrieked
"a dollar to see that thingr'
In literary Boston 1t was not thought he
,ould succeed, but he was saved bv the Har-
Tard students turning out in body. each
Fearing an enormous sunhower in his but
on-hole.
He returned to England with good deal
# money, in spite of being made the victim
# some confidence sharpers, and there lee
ured on "Whst Taught America" {" but in
lis own country was received with little in
crest.
WHY BE CHANGED.
Gradually the hair in flowing locks was
ut shorter and shorter and the knee
reeehes slipped down to his ankles and
bon be had lspsed into conventionalitv and
omfo-t- Soon after his return to England,
Dsear married an heiress-the grand
sughter of a rich old lawyer, who died
hortly after leaving her very comfortable
roperty. She is pretty, but worn and dis.
ppeinted looking-a pale face with dark
air in curls and very beautiful eyes. She
resses esthetioally still. She also much
fects large Frenchy hats and wutteau
owns. Their house in Cheyne Walk, Chel-