ABSTRACT
The gift of writing fairy tales is rare, and Mr. Oscar Wilde shows that he possesses it in a rare degree. The Happy Prince, and other Stories, are full of charming fancies and quaint humour. Though with a distinct character of their own, they are not unworthy to compare with Hans Andersen, and it is not easy to give higher praise than this. There is a piquant touch of contemporary satire which differentiates Mr. Wilde from the teller of pure fairy tales; but it is so delicately introduced that the illusion is not destroyed and a child would delight in the tales without being worried or troubled by their application, while children of larger growth will enjoy them and profit by them. The illustrations are charming.
