Smyrna times., 1895-04-17
The Downfall of Oscar Wilde
ALL ENGLAND ARoUsED


The London correspondent Of tb.
New York Sun, saws:
Most observers of English cbarecte,
would have declared it imnossihIo ="
arouse the phlegmatic conscience and
emotions of the nation to such nitob
Oh intensity as is manifestiug its.if -
all classes. The horror, the Ioatbirn
Vhe anger which the revelations in con
hectlon with the Wilde-Oueensberrv
case have caused can be compared only
WIN one OF those whirlwinds of passion
"hlch once in few decades suddenly
sweep over nation and by their yerv
VoieDce restore confidence in human
nature. Not until this week. annar.
emily, has the country realized that =
moral pestilence in the atmospbero
mas long been doing deadly work
Already there are signs that the non
ular revenge and reform will be undis
crlminatlng and unreasoning in their
work. The finger of suspicion is AL
ready carrying condemnation wherever
IL Is pointed. Many will suffer fearful
social penalties who are absolutely in
nocent; but the general effect of N.
great onslaughter Of public option
winch now has begun will be salutarv
and for the purifying of the nation
The best sign of all is that English.
men are ashamed. 1t is the first time
l nave ever seen the manifestation of
Ihls emotion among them. They feel
that deep, black, national disgrace has
Oeen uncovered, and the feeling is
more poigant because new to them
Their anger against the human rentiIes
VINO have brought this shame upon
them is indescribable. 1t not only de-
mands the swiftest and severest nun.
lshment, but it has been instantly
turned against every art, every fad
every innovation with which those ae-
'used or suspected have been indeti-
he'd. The newspapers are unanimous,
or instance, in pronouncing the doom
'f 'estheticism and everything conpec.
'ed with that cult. Thus the TeleoraDh
voices public opinion when it
ay:
III the general concern were only
With the man himself, his spurious
inflated egotism, diseased l
'anlty, cultivated af1ectation. and
hameless disavOwal of all morality
he best thing would be to dismiss him a
nd his deeds without a word to the '
enalty of universal condemnation l
'ut there is more than the individual '
imself to be considered in the matter '
ne just verdict of the court must be +
eld to include with him the tendency P
his peculiar career, the meaning and fl
lnuence of his teaching, and all thoso =
nailow and specious arts by which he a
nd his like have attempted to estab- I
sh cult and even to set up new r
'hools of literature, the drama. and t.
'cial thought. p
10 the fantastic beginnings of the Il
=" school OF ethical or literary prin. n
pie no particular objections could he te
-ged. Nevertheless, these men link. al
& a certain real sense of beauty with 81
'ohIgate tastes and profane mockerv. p'
I'VE exercised visible influence upon ca
g generation cursed by their pres pr
ce. You may trace them to day. we or
ashed to declare, in the outlvipg th
glons OF the press, where a certain
lss OF publications strives to exist
llch has for its inspiration the sala- of
'us impulse to 60 perpetually as close pu
can be to the limits of public de. Fl
rum, and to show its smartness bv no
everence, veiled indelicacy, and. as SCI
as 1t dares, by violation of the "
'redness of private life, The trail of pr, pr
9 fetid fashion has penetrated to our dis
'atres. The shame and disgrace of tut
nave invaded art, and we are asked Cu
admire nowadays specimens from tn' ~
impressionist and fleshy galleries tax
lch are of true and serious art to
rely burlesque and mockery. II the
passed, with heavy damage to good IISS I9r,
Le aud rightful amusement, into the for
main of fiction, so that we see noveI
sr novel aspire to a moments popu-
ty mainly on the grounds of pruri- "Se
sexuality or of ignorant disbelief" ID