Critical Reception from Oscar Wilde, Glasgow Herald, John Ruskin and The Spectator
Selman-Troytt's work drew praise and condemnation in equal measure. For some reason, possibly his assertion that 'God' - as opposed to 'god', 'God' or God [no inverted commas. Ed.] - was simply the product of a diseased imagination, he drew particularly poor reviews from ecclesiastical publications.
"... it can be nothing less than a blasphemy before God
when any man deliberately flings the contents of his trousers
in the public's face ..."
The Glasgow Herald
1893
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"I feel I shall never again soil myself without believing
that I should be recording the matter for posterity ... Jeremy
has managed to turn a commonplace event into a cause celebre
and should be congratulated ... although I fancy that henceforth
it may be difficult for him to share trousers."
Oscar Wilde
1893
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"Whilst I concur heartily with the philosophy which is expressed
so eruditely by Mr. Selman-Troytt, and although I sympathise
with his very necessary examination of the subject matter;
nevertheless I feel I must criticise him upon one point of
style, to whit his tendency, or penchant, for prolixity, and
his occasional divergence, even meandering, into pleonasm."
John Ruskin
1894
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"Mr Selman-Troytt appears to believe that I can have an interest
in the interior of his undergarments. Allow me to disabuse
him of such a notion immediately. I have no interest even
in my own; nor should any man, even in the cause of scientific
investigation, inquire too closely into that which should
pass before Our Lord alone."
The Spectator
1893
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Details of other critical reception of Selman-Troytt's work.
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