Compare Paragraphs
This page compares two reports at the paragraph level. The column on the left shows the first report in its entirety, and the column in the middle identifies paragraphs from the second report with significant matching content. The column on the right highlights any differences between the two matching paragraphs: pink shows differences in the first report and purple in the second report. The Match percentage underneath each comparison row in this column shows the percentage of similarity between the two paragraphs.
Original paragraph in
The Poverty Bay Herald - Friday, April 5, 1895
The Poverty Bay Herald - Friday, April 5, 1895
Most similar paragraph from
The West Australian - Friday, April 5, 1895
The West Australian - Friday, April 5, 1895
Difference
Oscar Wilde was subject to a stringent cross-examination, with the view of showing that "Dorian Grey" and some articles in a magazine
with which he is concerned are of an immoral tendency. Wilde insisted that they are merely an expression of artistic faculty. His letters to Douglas were
prose poems, extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of his alleged blackmailers £21 and lunched
with him in a private room afterwards. The case was adjourned. Defendant was admitted to bail.
Yesterday the plaintiff, Mr. Wilde, was subjected to a very severe cross-examination, with a view to showing that his novel Dorian Grey
and articles in the Chameleon, a magazine with which he is connected, were intended to inspire criminal practices. Mr. Wilde insisted that they were
merely the expression of his artistic faculty. His letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were, he said, prose poems, extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an
immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of his alleged blackmailers £21, and lunched with him afterwards in a private room. He admitted also
that he was on terms of intimacy with two lads who were not his social equals. He had given them money and expensive presents, but that was because he
liked them.
In cross-examination Oscar Wilde admitted that he was acquainted with young men named Taylor, Parker, and Atkins. Taylor had
introduced him to five young men on different occasions, to whom witness had given money, but he was not aware any of them were gentlemen's servants. He
said he derived pleasure from being in the company of bright, happy people. Witness had frequented Taylor's room. He was aware that both Parker and Taylor
had once been arrested, but continued their friendship. Once he took Atkins and a youth named Price to Paris, and introduced them to another youth named
Ernest Scarp, who became acquainted with Lord Douglas when making the voyage to Australia. Wilde said he had made presents to Scarp and Mabor because he
liked them.
The letters read in Court proved that the Marquis of Queensberry was endeavoring to stop his son visiting Wilde. The son wired back to
his father that Wilde was a funny little man. The Marquis subsequently called at Wilde's house, where a furious scene took place. The latter denied the
charges levelled against him, and showed the Marquis the door. Wilde wrote to the Marquis complaining that his wife encouraged his son's visits. Wilde's
friendship with Lady Queensberry and her sons remained unbroken. Certain letters from the youths already named showed that the writers were
poverty-stricken, some imploring assistance or employment.