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The Rev. Stewart Headlam explains, in the current number of his monthly paper, the Church Reformer, why he went bail for Oscar Wilde. He says:—"I became bail for Mr. Oscar Wilde on public grounds. I felt that the action of a large section of the press, of the theatrical managers at whose houses his plays were running, and of his publishers, was calculated to prejudice his case before his trial had even begun. I was a surety not for his character, but for his appearance in court to stand his trial. I had very little personal knowledge of him at the time. I think I had only met him twice, but my confidence in his honour and manliness has been fully justified by the fact (if rumour be correct, withstanding strong inducements to the contrary) that he stayed in England and faced his trial."

In conclusion, Mr. Headlam says: "Now that the trial is over, and Mr. Wilde has been convicted and sentenced, I still feel that I was absolutely right in the course I took, and I hope that, after he has gone through his sentence, Mr. Wilde may be able, with the help of his friends, to do good work in his fresh life."

The British Medical Journal says many rumours have been spread abroad in regard to the health and treatment of Oscar Wilde, now confined in Pentonville prison. They are, however, absolutely without foundation. Notwithstanding all that has been said it is a fact that Oscar Wilde is in good health, and is not in the Infirmary.

When once the prison door closes on a prison he is cut off from the world, and nothing that can be said can either aggravate or lighten his punishment. It is otherwise, however, in regard to his perfectly innocent relatives. For three months they are absolutely debarred from all communication with him. If they write their letters are returned, and he is not allowed to send a message or word of any sort.

When the doctor had "passed" Wilde (says the Morning) he was given his first dose of prison medicine. This consisted of a certain quantity of bromide of potassium, which is administered to all prisoners at stipulated intervals. For three days Wilde took his medicine without complaint, and performed his allotted task on the tread-mill. At the end of this period, however, the changed conditions of life began to tell upon him, and he was suddenly taken ill.

The doctor ordered him to be placed on second-class work. He gets up at six in the morning, and proceeds to clean and wash out his cell. At seven, breakfast, consisting of cocoa and bread, is served. After the meal the prisoner is given an hour’s exercise, and then returns to his cell to pick oakum until 12 o’clock. Then dinner, consisting sometimes of bacon and beans, sometimes of soup, and one day a week of cold meat, is brought to him. At half-past 12 he resumes the work of oakum-picking, and continues thus engaged until six o’clock, when tea is served. At seven o’clock he goes to bed.

This is now the daily routine of Wilde’s life. He is compelled to pick a certain quantity of oakum per day, is not allowed to converse with anyone, and, with the exception of his hour’s exercise, is kept in solitary confinement in his cell.

The officials say Wilde is going on very well. In the event of serious illness a communication would be sent at once to his friends.

It is stated with some authority that the rumour as to Oscar Wilde’s failing sanity is exaggerated, but it appears to be certain that the hard labour, including the treadmill, to which he was put at the beginning of his term at Pentonville was found too much for his strength, and that he became very ill as well as very melancholy. Treatment by the prison doctor followed, with a mitigation of the labour exacted from the convict, and in a few days he regained his normal health, although still subject to depression. The course of his daily life at present is as follows: He rises at six a.m., and cleans out his cell before seven oclock, when his breakfast, consisting of cocoa and bread, is served. After this comes an hour’s exercise in the yard, followed with oakum-picking till dinner-time, when the ordinary fare is served. Oakum-picking again follows, and continues till six, when tea is served, and after more relaxation he retires to rest at seven o’clock.

WILDE’S REVEREND SURETY EXPLAINS.

The Rev. Stewart Headlam explains in the current number of his monthly paper, the Church Reformer, why he went bail for Oscar Wilde. He says: "I became bail for Mr. Oscar Wilde on public grounds. I felt that the action of a large section of the Press and the theatrical managers at whose houses his plays were running and of his publisher was calculated to prejudice his case before his trial had even begun. I was a surety, not for his character, but for his appearance in court to stand his trial. I had very little personal knowledge of him at the time. I think I had only met him twice. But my ‘confidence in his honour and manliness’ has been fully justified by the fact that—if rumour be correct—notwithstanding strong inducements to the contrary, he stayed in England and faced his trial." In conclusion Mr. Headlam says: "Now that the trial is over and Mr. Wilde has been convicted and sentenced, I still feel that I was absolutely right in the course I took, and I hope that after he has gone through his sentence Mr. Wilde may be able, with the help of his friends, to do good work in his fresh life."