His wayward moods, his innocent love affairs,
his wanderings, his reading, his culminating grand passion, Mr. LE
GALLIENNE renders his account of them all, and does it in a fresh and
breezy style which suits his pleasant subject admirably. There is a
special charm too about the graceful lyrics which sparkle here and
there in the pretty little volume. In fact Mr. LE GALLIENNE is an
artist. I don't say a _genuine_ artist, because he justly dislikes the
qualification.
[Illustration]
OSCAR WILDE has desisted for a space from mere paradox, and gives
us (am I late in thus noticing it?) _Lord Arthur Savile's Crime.
and other Stories_. (London, J.R. OSGOOD, MCILWAINE & Co.) _Macte
virtute_, say I; the tag is old, but 'twill serve. If you want to
laugh heartily, read _Lord Arthur Savile's Crime_, the story of a
deeply conscientious man to whom murder very properly presents itself
as a duty. Then, if you wish to laugh even more violently, read _The
Canterville Ghost_, in which OSCAR goes two or three better than Mr.
W.S. GILBERT. I am specially thankful to OSCAR. When he is on humour
bent, he doesn't dig me in the ribs and ask me to notice what a
wonderfully funny dog he is going to be. He lets his fun take care
of itself, a permission which it uses with great discretion.
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