| Popis: |
‘It had been arranged that an introduction to the Princess Maleine1 should be written by Oscar Wilde, the literary star of the moment. But the whimsical and often lazy Wilde urged that before setting to the task he must wait for inspiration. To help ‘inspiration,’ Heinemann2 invited mea to cross the channel and lunch with Oscar and himself. I shall never forget one — so far unpublished — incident, in which the author of Lady Windermere’s Fan and of Salome betrayed both the genuine poetical turn and the studied affectation of his character. He was wearing deep mourning, and his accoutrement, together with his melancholy looks, suggested to me that he was suffering from some recent and cruel bereavement, and I cautiously ventured an enquiry on the delicate subject, only to receive this unexpected reply:— |
