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March 1882 105 5. Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar (1831–96), the first Persian shah to visit Europe, visited the United Kingdom in 1873 and again in 1878. 6. Line 72 from Chaucer’s “Prologue” in The Canterbury Tales. 29. “Oscar Wilde’s Views,” San Francisco Morning Call, 27 March 1882, 4 Oscar Wilde arrived here yesterday on the overland train. A Call reporter who met him at Port Costa was introduced to a tall, large-faced man, with pleasant light brown eyes, winning smile, muddy complexion, and a charming manner . The two things about the gentleman which have given Gilbert’s pen and Du Maurier’s pencil such an amount of material to work upon are the use of extravagantandunusualadjectivesinpraiseofartoranythingartisticallypleasing and an unusual style of dress. Gilbert has outrageously but brilliantly burlesqued the first; Du Maurier has faithfully reproduced the other, together with a heavy sensuousness in Wilde’s face when in repose. On the train yesterday he wore a wide-brimmed white felt hat, a velvet jacket, concerning the fit of which he should have a word with his tailor, and ordinary trousers and shoes. The striking features of his costume were his cravat and handkerchief—so much of the latter was shown that it can be classed as part of his costume. They were both, apparently, from one piece of material, and were of a startlingly brilliant yellow. A bouquet of wild flowers pinned to the lapel of his jacket and his long straight brown hair completed the peculiarities of his appearance. Deprived of them he would be voted on sight by the average American “a strapping big clever fellow.” The much advertised aesthete, in conversation, quickly showed himself to be a man of quick perceptions, deep insight, and practical views. In the hour and a half’s trip in Mr. Wilde’s company the reporter conversed with him on subjects ranging from Chinese art to the cause of the muddiness of the Sacramento River. Any subject he was already not familiar with he displayed a vivid interest in being informed about. In the course of the conversation the reporter asked: “Have you been in this country long enough to have formed any general impression about it and its people?” “Well, this country is too large to admit of its being comprehended in one general impression. In fact no one impression would answer for two regions of this country. I find not only different degrees but different kinds of development in different cities. My various impressions of them may be stated in detail in the future.” i-xii_1-196_Wild.indd 105 8/4/09 9:11:49 AM 106 March 1882 “What!” asked the reporter aghast. “You propose to write a book about us?” “Human nature may be hardened to almost any degree of endurance,” Mr. Wilde responded, laughingly. “I may even dare to write a book that mine enemies may read—and criticize it.” “If you are not yet prepared to give impressions regarding the eastern states, you, of course, are not regarding this state.” “Not regarding the state, certainly, but I must say that after the brown barrenness of the states and the endless snows of the mountains, it was very joyous to me to see the harmony of color Nature has painted upon the California hillsides and plains we have crossed today.” “Californians always expect that much praise—” “Yes,” interrupted Mr. Wilde, “and I have another pleasant impression about this state—the names of its towns. Now, in one of the states I stopped in a place called ‘Griggsville.”1 The aesthete shuddered. “Now, is not that the ultimate of vulgarity? Why not Griggtown, or Griggs? But Griggsville! Here you have beautiful names,” and he ran over, with every evidence of delight, a score of the euphonious Spanish names of the coast country towns. “But you have yet to visit the mountain counties, where they have Murderer ’s Gulch, Hangtown, etc.” “What are they compared to Griggsville? Proper. They at least convey an idea, an association, a—” The reporter interrupted, in order to restore, if possible, Mr. Wilde’s tranquility , and boldly asked: “What, Mr. Wilde, is your own definition of the English renaissance of art, concerning which we have been chiefly misinstructed by the satirists?” “Yes, satire has paid the usual homage which mediocrity pays to genius, blinding the public to what is noble and beautiful.” “Then the satirists have not followed this subject sufficiently close to outline it?” “Not only those who...

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