That the vilest prodigal may return, if he will,
from the company of harlots and of swine to the
pardon, and purity, and peace of the Father's
house, there to abide forevermore, is cardinal
Christian doctrine. But that this particularly
riotous aesthetic prodigal ever really renounced
the error of his abominable ways — of this no
proof has been furnished.
Nobody in our time disputes with Oscar Wilde
the title of typical aesthete. He is called an
edition de luxe of sestheticism. In a Paris caf6
he told Andr6 Gide that morality had absolutely
no interest to him. Very early in his career he
announced to the powers of darkness and of light
his intention to maintain neutrality toward their
disturbing and tiresome contentions. With the
age-long quarrel between Eight and Wrong his
high-and-mighty elegance would not concern
itself. His proclamation of neutrality read thus :

In dreams of art
And loftiest culture I would stand apart,
Neither for God nor for Ills enemies.
