The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-29

the fact that they are probably the only
two writers who use the English Languages,
and very likely the only ones TO be found
of any other language who have con
structed novels the underlying suggestion
Of which is something not To be spoken of,
scarcely to be thonght. When Mr. Allen
published his piece Of 6ctiOn it created no
other comment than that caused by the
belief that he had, with skill and by art
full suggestion, caused Il tale to turn upon
the abnormal
Oscar Wilde, in the story which Is print
ed in Lippincott's under tho 6tle Of THE
Picture OF Dorian Gray" has OvcrmAtched
the skill of HeroD-Allan, and has undOubt-
edIy accomplished the purpose which, in
addition to pecuniary consideration. he had
in view when he wrote the story One OK
the epigr2nS contained in the novel de-
clares that there Is only one thing wOrse
than being talked about, and that Is not
being talked aboEt, and Mr.. Wilde, whose
maneIvers with tho sunfOwor and knee
brooches have long sins CEASED TO make
him notorious, will be likely 10 find in tni5
latest venture OF his ti.sS he a. talked
about, and IL Is pro5zhse that viii satisfy
him, although che chatter which his WORK
creates would be regarded with the utmost
dread by mast human beings.
THE Picture Of Dorian Gray" sceEus 70
have been suggasSsi psrtiY by che myth
which describes a yoush * having fallen
in love with his own PioSarc, and which IS
classic tale az mythology Is 4 beautiful
narration, and q is also inspired hy Mr.
Stevenson's "Dr Jekyil and BIr- Hyde"
Dorian Gray, an tszrARcly handsome
young man, fails III love ws.h his Portrzit,
and it is the desire Of his heart that in his
own body ne shall ever remain a. thc pict-
UFe represents MIN 10 be, while the process
of growing old is transferred FROM his own
body to the portrait. Into the abnormal
state Of mind thus eevalSpo1 Dorian be-
comes infatuated WITH his ava s7s5nzli,r,
and also produces - C.ftC& uss11 Ulsr.
men which ca5lscs tha3a CO Oscol1e infagu-
ated with Ei,R. Tsls saTro7rs and the utter
physical de--rrssaTtiol, Is veil as mzlf0rula-
ton of inteIlccI AMI chaEleSeE, yF..sSA follow
this Development form the basis of tho
story.
OF course the seeker after the abnormal
and shocking IN fiction can find nothing
beyond the possibilities contained in such
a conception AS this. A step farther than
Mr.. Wilde has gone would besure to caggo
the arrest Of the author and Publisher and
the suppression of the hoax 1t $50 fcourss
a story of ps-siCn. as 'sf4le Quick and the
Dead" WIS a c;ory 81 passion, but the lat
ter is natural passion .deaSized, whereas
the former Is the passion which, under the
statutes of many OF oar stz1es, is, II fol
| lowed, punishable with death
Mr.. Wilde writes c1teTl=suin-iy IN the
lighter psszl,7cs % the book. 51t there b q
sort of forcy1 lrsl ILatcy sad 1 suggestion Of
worked over eIItEr2Eas, wsi-.l. while u
gives the work an mr. OF RzZlzrtnoSs. will
hardly cadse IL to be regarded a. a piece OF
excellent hSs-sry workmanship, 1t Is pos
sibly Dir. WiIde's purpose % convey a
moral in his story which Eoald be OF good
effsos in certain GrSSsoeazG2e circles in
England, but If TINT was his purpose he
has no art in executing It. When Bzlzzo
wrote Of hideous Vi-Es he analysed and
CsissecAsd them 90 thai the horror q! them
was maintained -a1t the awful power Of
tho mnrzEs.'s pan was made evident
There Is no such are in Dir. Wilde's move,
and the suggestion Is rather In the direc-
ton of sczrsatioazlizLn than OF the highest
art and morally.
IL will probably suTPFTgP none of tho0e
upon whom Pr. Wide bestowed hia In
tiKna1y when be was a this country 20
know that be has vFith2n such = bok,
for il Is writtan in The LakuDer ia which hs
occasionally narrated aDerd0tss TO choies
and private circiaa- Although 8r- wilde
came here * al EZQ7Deat of 1sSf ecticfaUl
he was not iDdSsycnsad TO visw Lie To all its
I phzses in New YORK. and e this oisVozi-
ton one public eF4da1ne WIS obtained
( thro--h The facility Win which be YVES
steervsi by q huncso sharp into 0as "a these
/ notoriDE.s E=aaz. II IS pretty safe 70 pre-
| dict that IL The F1oszrs 81 Dorian Gray b.
| ever p1bliahsd IA hoax form IL wiz End H..
wny into no rome, and viii be read IN
| & cogBaz bT hrs wsso buy il, yss il doubt
| iszzs VIII sarvs he p1rpose which caused
/ the wiring All publication u II. bsrzuss
+ il VIII - tsIEsI about and TINS most
I widely s4llysStissd = J. EDIAEb7-