young writer, to send you my first play; and if you do not think it suitable for dramatic representation in America, at any rate accept it as a homage to your genius.
On account of its avowedly republican sentiments I have not been able to get permission to have it brought out here, but with you there is more freedom, and though democracy is the note through which the play is expressed, yet the tragedy is an entirely human one. Believe me, Madam, your obedient servant
OSCAR WILDE
In case you approve of the play I shall be so happy to correspond on the subject.
To Norman Forbes-Robertson
[Circa 1 October 1880] Keats House, Tite Street
My dear Norman, I am so glad you have not forgotten about the play and send you a copy with great pleasure. I hope you are getting stronger as your dear mother was rather anxious about you. I have not yet finished furnishing my rooms, and have spent all my money over it already, so if no manager gives me gold for the Nihilists I don’t know what I shall do; but then I couldn’t really have anything but Chippendale and satinwood – I shouldn’t have been able to write.
Modjeska has asked me to adapt some play for her – we have not yet settled what – probably Luisa Miller. I am looking forward to her first night for which Barrett has just sent me stalls. I envy you so much being with dear Nellie, the kindest-hearted, sweetest, loveliest of women. As for me I am lonely, désolé and wretched. I feel burned out – so do come back soon and let me see a great deal of you and believe me, your affectionate friend
OSCAR WILDE
To Hermann Vezin
[4 October 1880] Tite Street
My dear Vezin, I send you a copy of my drama which you were kind enough to hear me read some months ago; any suggestions about situations or dialogue I should be so glad to get from such an experienced artist as yourself: I have just found out what a difficult craft playwriting is.
Will you let me tell you what immense pleasure your Iago gave me. It seems to me the most perfect example I have ever seen of that right realism which is founded on consummate art, and sustained by consummate genius: the man Iago walked and talked before us. Two points particularly delighted me – the enormous character you gave to otherwise trivial details: a rare and splendid art, to make all common things symbolic of the leading idea, as Albert [sic] Diirer loved to do in his drawings. The other is your delivery of asides, notably in Act II: I never knew how they ought to be given before – but perhaps you are saying in an aside now ‘Ohé jam satis!’ [well, that’s enough], so believe me your friend and admirer
OSCAR WILDE
To Lawrence Alma-Tadema
[Late 1880-early 1881] Keats House, Tite Street
Dear Mr Tadema, There is a good deal of difficulty in obtaining a really correct idea of Greek writing at the time of Sappho: Sappho is so early, 610 B C, that we have no inscriptions at all contemporary, and the earliest Aeolic coin is about 550. Taking this as my starting point and following out the Aeolic shapes of the letters, which are quite different from the Attic, I have drawn out the enclosed list, which is as accurate probably as one can get it.
The early shapes are curious and I imagine are conditioned by the material on which they wrote – paper or parchment – as opposed to the later forms when stone inscriptions became usual: and the lines consequently more rigid and straight, and, it seems to me, less beautiful.
I have written Mnasidika instead of Mnasidion as in your letter; all the MSS read Mnasidika in the line from Sappho, and besides Mnasidion is a man’s name. Gyrinnos is the Aeolic form for Gyrinna.
I remember your talking about Catullus the other night – one of the most beautiful of his poems is taken from a still extant song of Sappho’s beginning,
I don’t know if you would care to strike that literary note and scrawl it on your marble?
I hope that whenever you want any kind of information about Greek things, in which I might help you that you will let me know.
It is always a pleasure for me to work at any Greek subject, and a double pleasure to do so for anyone whose work mirrors so exquisitely and rightly, as yours does, that beautiful old Greek world. Believe me sincerely yours
OSCAR WILDE
To Ellen Terry
[3 January 1881] Tite Street, Chelsea
My dear Nellie, I write to wish you every success tonight. You could not do anything that would not be a mirror of the highest artistic beauty, and I am so glad to hear you have an opportunity of showing us that passionate power which I know you have. You will have a great success – perhaps one of your greatest.
I send you some flowers – two crowns. Will you accept one of them, whichever you think will suit you best. The other – don’t think me treacherous, Nellie – but the other please give to Florrie from yourself. I should like to think that she was wearing something of mine the first night she comes on the stage, that anything of mine should touch her. Of course if you think – but you won’t think she will suspect? How could she? She thinks I never loved her, thinks I forget. My God how could I!
Dear Nellie, if you can do this – in any case accept these flowers from your devoted admirer, your affectionate friend
OSCAR WILDE
To Mrs Alfred Hunt
[17 February 1881] Keats House, Tite Street
Dear Mrs Hunt, Thank you so much for your kind invitations but I am in the ‘lion’s den’ on both days. Sunday I dine to meet Mr Lowell, a poet, statesman, and an American in one! A sort of three-headed Cerberus of civilisation who barks when he is baited and is often mistaken for a Hon, at a distance.
And on Wednesday the 2nd I have a long-standing engagement to dine with Sir Charles Dilke, a lion who has clipped his radical claws and only roars through the medium of a quarterly review now – a harmless way of roaring. So I cannot come to you, which makes me very sad.
I ought, like Sir Boyle Roche’s bird, to be able to be in two places at once, but in that case I should always be at Tor Villas. I hope to see you all soon again. Very truly yours
OSCAR WILDE
In 1881 Wilde published his second book, a volume of poems, this time with a publisher. There were 750 copies printed which he cannily divided into three equal ‘editions’ between June and September in the hope that it would attract more attention. Despite a complimentary review from Oscar Browning and an encouraging letter from Arnold the notices were generally unfavourable – Punch’s reviewer describing it as ‘Swinburne and water’. The library of the Oxford Union even went so far as to request a copy and then reject it as being too derivative. It also ended the friendship with Miles, whose clergyman father read dangerous sensuality into the volume and urged his son to have nothing more to do with the author.
To David Bogue
[May 1881] Keats House, Tite Street
Dear Sir, I am anxious to publish a volume of poems immediately, and should like to enter into a treaty with your house about it. I can forward you the manuscript on hearing that you will begin negotiations.
Possibly my name requires no introduction. Yours truly
OSCAR WILDE
To Oscar Browning
[June 1881] Keats House, Tite Street