Читать книгу Oscar Wilde: A Life in Letters - Оскар Уайльд, Merlin Holland, F. H. Cornish - Страница 25

[Postmark 19 July 1877] 1 Merrion Square North

Dear old Boy, I hear you are back: did you get my telegram at the Lord Warden? Do write and tell me about the Turks. I like their attitude towards life very much, though it seems strange that the descendants of the wild Arabs should be the Sybarites of our day.

I sent you two mags, to Frenchay: one with a memoir of Keats, the other religious.

Do you remember our delightful visit to Keats’s grave, and Dunskie’s disgust. Poor Dunskie: I know he looks on me as a renegade; still I have suffered very much for my Roman fever in mind and pocket and happiness.

I am going down to Connemara for a month or more next week to try and read. I have not opened a book yet, I have been so bothered with business and other matters. I shall be quite alone. Will you come? I will give you fishing and scenery – and bring your books – and some notebooks for me. I am in despair about ‘Greats’.

It is roughing it, you know, but you will have

(I) bed

(2) table and chair

(3) knife and fork

(4) fishing

(5) scenery – sunsets – bathing – heather – mountains – lakes

(6) whisky and salmon to eat. Write and say when you can come, and also send me please immediately the name and address of Miss Fletcher whom I rode with at Rome, and of her stepfather. I have never sent her some articles of Pater’s I promised her.

I want you to read my article on the Grosvenor Gallery in the Dublin University Magazine of July – my first art-essay.

I have had such delightful letters from many of the painters, and from Pater such sympathetic praise. I must send you his letter: or rather do so, but return it in registered letter by next post: don’t forget. Ever yours OSCAR After all I can’t trust my letter from Pater to the mercies of the postman, but I send you a copy:

Dear Mr Wilde, Accept my best thanks for the magazine and your letter. Your excellent article on the Grosvenor Gallery I read with very great pleasure: it makes me much wish to make your acquaintance, and I hope you will give me an early call on your return to Oxford.

I should much like to talk over some of the points with you, though on the whole I think your criticisms very just, and they are certainly very pleasantly expressed. The article shows that you possess some beautiful, and, for your age, quite exceptionally cultivated tastes: and a considerable knowledge too of many beautiful things. I hope you will write a great deal in time to come. Very truly yours

WALTER PATER

You won’t think me snobbish for sending you this? After all, it is something to be honestly proud of.

O. F. W.