The Boston Globe - Thursday, May 2, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
PASSIONATE PLEA
That Saved Oscar Wilde
an Adverse Verdict.
Meaning of His Affection for
Lord
Douglas.
"It Existed Between David
and Jonathan."
"Plato Made it a Basis for
His Philosophy."
"This Love is Misunderstood
in Present Century."
LONDON, May 2 - The disagreement of the jury in the Wilde case has caused much surprise in London. Several newspapers incline to the opinion that Wilde's speech, which elicited applause in the court room yesterday, may have saved him from a verdict of guilty.
LONDON, May 2.— The disagreement of the jury in the Wilde case caused much surprise in London. Several newspapers incline to the opinion that Wilde's speech, which elicited applause in the court room, may have saved him from a verdict of guilty.
The disagreement of the jury in the Wilde case caused much surprise in London. Several newspapers incline to the open that Wilde’s speech, which elicited applause in the court room, may have saved him from a verdict of guilty.
The disagreement of the jury caused much surprise in London. Several newspapers incline to the opinion that Wilde's speech, which elicited applause in the court room may have saved him from a verdict of guilty.
They quote as the most eloquent part of this effective plea the first 10 or 12 sentences with which Wilde answered Mr Gill's question as to the meaning of his affection for Lord Douglas.
These sentences were:
"It is such a great affection of the elder for the younger man as existed between David and Jonathan; such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy; such as we find in the sonnets of Michael Angelo and Shakespeare.
"It is that deep spiritual affection which is for the younger man as existed between David and Jonathan; such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy; such as we find in the sonnets of Michael Angelo and Shakespeare.
"It is that deep spiritual affection, which is as pure as it is perfect, and dictates great works of art like those of Shakespeare and Angelo, and these two letters of mine, such as they are.
It is that deep spiritual affection which is as pure as it is perfect, and dictates great works of art like those of Shakespeare and Angelo, and these two letters of mine, such as they are.
"This love is misunderstood in the present century - so misunderstood that on account of it I am placed where I now am. It is beautiful; it is fine; it is the noblest form of affection.
"It is intellectual, and has existed repeatedly between an elder and a younger man when the elder has the intellect and the younger has all the joy and hope and glamor of life. That it should be so the world does not understand. The world mocks at it, and sometimes puts one on the pillory for it."
"This love is misunderstood in the present century--so misunderstood that I am placed where I now am. It is beautiful as it is fine; it is the nobliest form of affection. It is intellectual and has existed repeatedly between an elder and a younger man when the elder has the intellect and the younger has all the joy and hope and glamour of life. That it should be so the world does not understand. The world mocks at it and sometimes puts one in the pillory for it."
"This love is misunderstood in the present century-so misunderstood that on account of it I am placed where I am. It is beautiful: it is fine; it is the noblest form of affection. It is intellectual, and has existed repeatedly between an elder and a younger man when the elder has the intellect and the younger has all the joy and hope and glamor of life. That it should be so the world does not understand. The world mocks at it, and sometimes puts one on the pillory for it."
"This love is misunderstood in the present century--so misunderstood that on account of it I am placed where I now am. It is beautiful; it is fine; it is the noblest form of affection. It is intellectual and has existed repeatedly between an elder and a younger man when the elder has the intellect and the younger has all the joy and hope and glamour of life. That it should be so the world does not understand. The world mocks at it and sometimes puts one in the pillory for it."
Counsel for Oscar Wilde will tomorrow make application before Baron Pollock in the queen's bench division of the high court of justice for the admission of Wilde to bail, pending the re-trial of his case.
Hitherto it hats been the practice to grant applications for bail in all cases of misdemeanor, but the matter rests solely upon the discretion of the court.
The next session of Old Bailey court will begin on May 20.