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Original paragraph in
The Yorkshire Evening Post - Thursday, April 4, 1895
The Yorkshire Evening Post - Thursday, April 4, 1895
Most similar paragraph from
Belfast News-Letter - Thursday, April 4, 1895
Belfast News-Letter - Thursday, April 4, 1895
Difference
PLAINTIFF AND DEFENDANT.
Mr. Oscar Wilde yesterday wore a tight-fitting [...] coat, of a dark material, a collar with wide points and black cravat. His hair was
banked on the top of his head, and carefully parted down the centre. His manner was confident, and he leaned over the narrow rail which shuts in the
witness, toying with a pair of gloves, and in readiness to reply to the leading questions of his counsel. The Marquess, turning slightly round in the
dock, faced him with an expression of supreme contempt, supplemented occasionally, as the evidence proceeded, by subdued and angry mutterings.
OSCAR'S "PHILOSOPHY."
Theatre-goers are familiar with those daring and absurd epigrams and paradoxes which abound in Mr. Oscar Wilde's plays. In his evidence
yesterday he [...] one of his own characters-somewhat to the astonishment at times of the learned counsel. This is one [...]
Listen sir. Here is one of the "Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young": Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to
account for the curious attractiveness of others." You think that true?—I rarely think that anything I write is true.
Did you say rarely?—I said rarely. I [...] never; not true in the sense of corresponding with the actual facts.
"Religions die when they are proved to be true." Is that true?—Yes, I hold that.
Do you trunk that was a safe axiom to put forward for the use of the young?—It was a most stimulating [...] (Laughter.)
"Pleasure is the only thing one should live for. Nothing else ages like happiness"?—I think that the realization of oneself is the
prime aim of life, and to realize oneself through pleasure is finer than to do so through pain. I am on that point entirely on the side of the ancients.
"A truth ceases to be true when more than one person believes it"? —Perfectly. That would be my most physical definition of truth;
something so [...] the same truth could never be appreciated by [...]
The condition of perfection is idleness."?—[...] Yes, I think so. Half of it is true. The life of contemplation is the highest life,
and so recognized by the philosopher.
NOT LIKE OTHER MEN.
In his cross-examination, Mr. Carson asked:
Is that an extraordinary letter?—I think everything I write is extraordinary. I don't pose as being ordinary, great heavens! Ask me
any question you like
Mr. Carson—Is that an extraordinary letter? I think everything I write extraordinary. I do not pose as being ordinary. Good heavens—
Is it the kind of letter a man writes to another man?—It is the kind of letter I wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas. What other men write to
other men I know nothing about, nor do I care. It is not like the other—a prose poem.
Have you written others of this class of letter?—There is no class in that letter.
Have you written others like this?—I don't repeat myself in style. (Laughter.)
SHOWING HIS CONTEMPT.
Witness's method of treating a blackmailer was brought out in the following passage:—
Did you give this man, whom you knew as a blackmailer, 10s?—Yes.
Why did you give it him?—I gave it him to show my contempt. (Laughter.)
The way you show your contempt is by giving 10s?—Very often. (Laughter.) I did it really to show I didn't care twopence for him.
(Laughter.)
BORROWED FROM SHAKESPEARE!
This passage is also from the evidence:—
You have never known the feelings you describe there?—No. I have never allowed any personality to dominate my art.
The passage I am quoting says, "I quite admit that I adored you madly." Have you had that feeling?—I have never given admiration to
any person except myself. (Laughter.) The expression, I regret to say, was borrowed from Shakespeare. (Laughter.)
Then we read, "I want to have you all to myself."—I should consider that an intense bore. (Laughter.)
People who have not the views you have might form another opinion of these passages?—Undoubtedly; but don't cross-examine me about the
[...] of other people. (Laughter.) I have a great passion to civilize the community.
APHORISMS IN COURT.
Some more extracts from the evidence:—
It is a handsome stick for a boy of that class?—I do not think it is a beautiful stick [...] (Laughter.)
You dressed him up in a blue [...] suit and a strange hat, in order that he might look more like your equal?—Oh no; he never looked
that. (Laughter.) He had been to school, where naturally he had not learned much. (Laughter.)
He often dined with you. Was that an intellectual treat?—Yes, for him. (Laughter.)
Mr. Carson: Was his conversation literary?—Witness: On the contrary, it was quite simple and easy to understand. (Laughter.)
"THE ONLY CRITIC OF THE CENTURY."
In his evidence Mr. Wilde stated that Mr. Walter Pater was the only critic of the century whose opinion he sees high.
THE ORDINARY PERSON.
Oscar's contempt for "ordinary people" does not go the length of forbidding them to buy his books—
You don't prevent the ordinary individual from buying your books?—I have never discouraged it. (Laughter.)