Oscar Wilde A Critical Study

Ransome, Arthur

Published by New York Mitchell Kennerley 1912, 1912

About this Item

First U.S. edition. 213 pages + 2 of ads. The book is firmly bound in the publisher's dark blue cloth, lettered and decorated in slightly tarnished gilt, the bords are slightly marked and rubbed, and the extremities are bumped. The text block is slightly marked and age toned, with minor spots of foxing and a neatly written ownership inscription dated 1912 to the title page. Generally regarded as the first serious posthumous study of Oscar Wilde's life and work, written with the assistance of Wilde's literary executor, Robert Ross, and with access to unpublished letters and material. Perhaps predictably, this resulted in several accusations of libel, most notably by Lord Alfred Douglas, who objected strongly to references to the original letter on which De Profundis was based, addressed to: "a man to whom Wilde felt that he owed some, at least, of the circumstances of his disgrace", particularly such lines as: "It was begun as a rebuke of this friend, whose actions, even subsequent to the trials, had been such as to cause Wilde considerable pain.". Unfortunately for Bosie, Ransome defended the ensuing libel suit successfully, with the help from Ross of the original documents and further letters, resulting in the former's bankruptcy and considerable reputational damage. Despite his successful defence, Ransome removed the offending passages from the second and subsequent editions. Of the 1500 copies of the first edition originally printed, this is one of the 430 intended for the U.S. market, which appeared on American bookseller's shelves in April or May 1912, some two months after the U.K. version, with the objectionable passages still intact.

Seller Inventory # 7179

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Oscar Wilde A Critical Study
• Publisher: New York Mitchell Kennerley 1912
• Publication Date: 1912
• Edition: 1st Edition