AN INTERVIEW WITH OSCAR WILDE'S BROTHER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN INTERVIEW WITH OSCAR WILDE'S BROTHER.

The London Cuckoo prints the following amusing report of a chat with the brother of the long-haired esthetic who sits up with lili ;s and gazes soulfully at butterflies. It says : — While our reporter was turning over the leaves of a puerile production called Kottabos, a black-bearded, thick-iipperl, almond-eyed, swarthy, satyr-like, Pan-all-over young man of about six feet high strode into the room, clad in a long dressing-gown, at the collar of which might be seen the slightest suggestion of a white unstarched garment, while at the nether end a pair of scraggy-looking naked ankles, the feet of which were encased in an old pair of red Turkish slippers, madu their appearance. After a friendly shake : of the hand and the familiar appellation, | " Will you havejfcbrandy-.and-.soda, old 1>03 , , 1 or a cigarette ':" Bed been declined, wo fell to work. "I see you have beeii looking at Kottabos. It is very clever, is it not'/ My brother, Oscar, became a contributor at thy ageof 10, and even I myself have occasionally given them some little things, all of which have been repeatedly reprinted and repaid for as original matter in several London journals • —but mind that is a secret." " Your brother, I understand, has received a prize for j. copy of verses at the 'Maudlin' College; is it worth much ?" " N"ot pecuniarily, but the kinli,* is great." "Indeed, then I suppose all the _N\;\vdigo,te men have distinguished in literature-!" "Oh, no, indeed, ,i,i nnwinil, 1 cannot recall any that have fsueeeedeil in literature except poor little Mnllock, if you call ilia success, but socially it is of great advantage; you see, you go up to London labelled by thu greatest university in the world, 'a poet,' and people, whatever they may think, will not risk contradicting Oxford." " I am to understand, then, that Oxford is warranted to supply the world with a real live poet every year, no matter at what level the brain power may be?" "Exactly, but, you sue, a great many Newdigate men don't understand the trick of advertisement, and so they (Imp out of siu'ht. I had a letter from dear Oscar, this morning to siy that the Prince lias lieun to tea with him." "And has the Prince?" " All, that I cannot say—but he says he lias, and whether he has or not people will believe it and show Oscar the respect he deserves for being so clever. I would show you the letter, only I have just sent it in to Lady Wilde." "And what does your brother mean to do for a livelihood?"' "Oh he will probably m.irry an heiress." "Then, if you had a son, and he did not happen to be as clever as your brother, but had sufficient knowledge of scansion to take the Ncwdigate, what would yon do with him?" "I would article him to a good solicitor, so that the boy might not go off Ins head, and earn a tolerably liom-st livelihood." "Is your brother really so fond of lilies and long matted hair as Mr. IJu Manner represents him to be V" " Why, certainly, when their sex is feminine and they wear a red jersey; what do you think?" Not knowing wluit to think, nur reporter took up his hat to go. " Well, good-bye, old chappie. I must go and dictate a political leader to Dr. Shaw for Saunder's to-morrow, and I dine Dr. Nedley in the evening. Take iny word for it, my brother is no fool. I am ftoin" to peform at Carrie Nilson's benefit tomorrow, (live us a look in and a line—" And the door shut on our reporter, who wandered away thinking that Willy wasn't much of a fool, whatever his brother, whom ho hasn't yet n:et, may be.