As for myself, I feel like Tancred or Lothair. I travel in such state, for in a free country one cannot live without slaves, and I have slaves – black, yellow and white. But you must write again. Your letter had a flavour of Attic salt. Yours (from Boeotia)
OSCAR WILDE
Renell Rodd, a friend of Wilde’s from Oxford days, had published a book of poems in 1881 entitled Songs of the South. Wilde, anxious as much to promote his own ideas as Rodd’s poetry, arranged for the volume to be produced in Philadephia by Stoddart, with an aesthetic envoi or preface of his own and an effusive dedication to himself: ‘To Oscar Wilde, “heart’s brother”, these few songs and many songs to come’. The book duly appeared in October as Rose Leaf and Apple Leaf, but Rodd was disturbed and upset by Wilde’s parading of their friendship, and a volume of poetry proved its undoing, as it had with Frank Miles the year before.
To J. M. Stoddart
[?19 February 1882] Cincinnati
Dear Mr Stoddart, I send you the volume of poems and the preface. The preface you will see is most important, signifying my new departure from Mr Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites, and marks an era in the aesthetic movement. Please send proofs to New York: they will forward them to me as I race from town to town. I also wish to ask Mr Davis a favour. I should like to be able to send Mr Rodd some money: if Mr Davis will advance £25 on the whole half-profits that fall to Mr Rodd and myself it would be to this young poet a great encouragement, and would give him good hope of success. If Mr Davis would do this he would be encouraging a young fellow of, as you know, great poetical promise: by sending me the whole draft I could forward it to Rennell Rodd – his £25. As for your paper it is charming. I would undertake to be your art-correspondent for London and Paris – two articles a month – and in the summer letters from Italy on art.
You will think this over. Ever yours
OSCAR WILDE
Post Scriptum
Yes: The Daisy will be the title, and Other Poems. You can print the little poem on the daisy first. As regards the binding, have it a bound book – not in loose sheets like Tiffany’s monstrosity. Send me your ideas of a cover. Lathrop could do a delightful thing for you.
Look at dedication.
To J. M. Stoddart
[Postmark 24 February 1882] Cincinnati
Dear Mr Stoddart, This is the type I like. I have not received proofs yet: please let me have them soon or I will be in California, with an Indian to disturb me at every comma and a grizzly at every semi-colon.
OSCAR WILDE
To Colonel W. F. Morse
[?26 February 1882] St Louis, Missouri
Dear Colonel Morse, Will you kindly go to a good costumier (theatrical) for me and get them to make (you will not mention my name) two coats, to wear at matinees and perhaps in evening. They should be beautiful; tight velvet doublet, with large flowered sleeves and little ruffs of cambric coming up from under collar. I send you design and measurements. They should be ready at Chicago on Saturday for matinee there – at any rate the black one. Any good costumier would know what I want – sort of Francis I dress: only knee-breeches instead of long hose. Also get me two pair of grey silk stockings to suit grey mouse-coloured velvet. The sleeves are to be flowered – if not velvet then plush – stamped with large pattern. They will excite a great sensation. I leave the matter to you. They were dreadfully disappointed at Cincinnati at my not wearing knee-breeches. Truly yours
OSCAR WILDE
To Mrs George Lewis
Tuesday, 28 February [1882] Grand Pacific Hotel, Chicago
Dear Mrs Lewis, I send you a line to say that since Chicago I have had two great successes: Cincinnati where I have been invited to lecture a second time – this time to the workmen, on the handicraftsman – and St Louis. Tomorrow I start to lecture eleven consecutive nights at eleven different cities, and return here on Saturday week for a second lecture. I go to Canada then, and also return to New England to lecture. Of course I have much to bear – I have always had that – but still as regards my practical influence I have succeeded beyond my wildest hope. In every city they start schools of decorative art after my visit, and set on foot public museums, getting my advice about the choice of objects and the nature of the building. And the artists treat me like a young god. But of this I suppose little reaches England. My play will probably come out, but this is not settled, and I will be back about May I hope.
Pray remember me most affectionately to Mr Lewis, and believe me very truly yours
OSCAR WILDE
To Walt Whitman
[Postmark 1 March 1882] Chicago
My dear dear Walt, Swinburne has just written to me to say as follows:
‘I am sincerely interested and gratified by your account of Walt Whitman and the assurance of his kindly and friendly feeling towards me: and I thank you, no less sincerely, for your kindness in sending me word of it. As sincerely can I say, what I shall be freshly obliged to you if you will [– should occasion arise –] assure him of in my name, that I have by no manner of means [either ‘forgotten him’ or] relaxed my admiration of his noblest work – such parts, above all, of his writings, as treat of the noblest subjects, material and spiritual, with which poetry can deal. I have always thought it, and I believe it will hereafter be generally thought, his highest and surely most enviable distinction that he never speaks so well as when he speaks of great matters – liberty, for instance, and death. This of course does not imply that I do – rather it implies that I do not – agree with all his theories or admire all his work in anything like equal measure – a form of admiration which I should by no means desire for myself and am as little prepared to bestow on another: considering it a form of scarcely indirect insult.’
There! You see how you remain in our hearts, and how simply and grandly Swinburne speaks of you, knowing you to be simple and grand yourself.
Will you in return send me for Swinburne a copy of your Essay on Poetry – the pamphlet – with your name and his on it: it would please him so much.
Before I leave America I must see you again. There is no one in this wide great world of America whom I love and honour so much.
With warm affection, and honourable admiration
OSCAR WILDE
To Mrs George Lewis
[Early March 1882] Griggsville, Illinois
Dear Mrs Lewis, I am sorry to say that an art-movement has begun at Griggsville, for I feel it will not last long and that Colvin will be lecturing about it. At present the style here is Griggsville rococo, and there are also traces of ‘archaic Griggsville’, but in a few days the Griggsville Renaissance will blossom: it will have an exquisite bloom for a week, and then (Colvin’s fourth lecture) become ‘debased Griggsville’, and the Griggsville Decadence. I seem to hear the Slade Professor, or dear Newton, on it. As for myself I promise you never, never to lecture in England, not even at dinner.
The Giottos of Griggsville are waiting in a deputation below, so I must stop. With kind remembrances to Mr Lewis, and remembrances to Katie, yours sincerely
OSCAR WILDE
Wilde’s revolutionary drama Vera had been scheduled for production in London shortly before he left, but partly for political reasons—the American President and the Russian Czar had been assassinated