being what they are, it is all but
impossible at first to account for the rapidity of Oscar Wilde's
social success; yet if we tell over his advantages and bring one or
two into the account which have not yet been reckoned, we shall find
almost every element that conduces to popularity. By talent and
conviction he was the natural pet of the aristocracy whose selfish
prejudices he defended and whose leisure he amused. The middle class,
as has been noted, disliked and despised him: but its social influence
is small and its papers, and especially _Punch_, made him notorious by
attacking him in and out of season. The comic weekly, indeed, helped
to build up his reputation by the almost inexplicable bitterness of
its invective.

Another potent force was in his favour. From the beginning he set
himself to play the game of the popular actor, and neglected no
opportunity of turning the limelight on his own doings. As he said,
his admiration of himself was "a lifelong devotion," and he proclaimed
his passion on the housetops.

Our names happened to be mentioned together once in some paper, I
think it was _The Pall Mall Gazette_. He asked me what I was going to
reply.

"Nothing," I answered, "why should I bother? I've done nothing yet
that deserves trumpeting."

"You're making a mistake," he said seriously. "If you wish for
reputation and fame in this world, and success during your lifetime,
you ought to seize every opportunity of advertising yourself. You
remember the Latin word, 'Fame springs from one's own house.' Like
other wise sayings, it's not quite true; fame comes from oneself," and
he laughed delightedly; "you must go about repeating how great you are
till the dull crowd comes to believe it."

"The prophet must proclaim himself, eh? and declare his own mission?"

"That's it," he replied with a smile; "that's it.

"Every time my name is mentioned in a paper, I write at once to admit
that I am the Messiah. Why is Pears' soap successful? Not because it
is better or cheaper than any other soap, but because it is more
strenuously puffed. The journalist is my 'John the Baptist.' What
would you give, when a book of yours comes out, to be able to write a
long article drawing attention to it in _The Pall Mall Gazette_? Here
you have the opportunity of making your name known just as widely; why
not avail yourself of it? I miss no chance," and to do him justice he
used occasion to the utmost.

Curiously enough Bacon had