The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-03-25
DE Profundis'

DE ProfundiS"
Oscar Wilde the erratc genius who made stir in his
day. left behind him document written in prison, which
has just been given to the world by his friend Robert
Ross. The volume is named 'De Profundis.' Nearly
every page puts on record hearache One cannot read
this autobiography without feeling profound pity for
the delicate personality who fell from height little less
than that of the angels who except their first estate
Condemned to prison after sensational trial. for
less crimes he served his time and emerged into free
dom. But he pinned and died within year and a
half of his release In his prison story he opens up his
very soul for inspection.
''The gods had given almost everything. But
let myself be ured into long spells of senseess and
al ease amused myself with being hanneur, dandy
of fashion surrounded myself with the smaller
natures and the minds became the spendthrift
of my own genius, and to waste eternal youth gave
curious joy Tired of being the heights deiher
aey went to the depths in the search for sensation
What the paradox to me in the spher of thought
perversy became to in the sphere of passion Desire
at the end, was maady madness or both. grew
careless of the lives of others. took pleasure where
it pleased and passed forgot that every little action
of the day makes unmakes character and that
therefore what has done in the chamber
has day to cry aloud the housetop. ceased to
be lord over myself was longer the captain of my
soul and did not know it. I allowed pleasure to dominate
me. I ended in horrible disgrace. There is only one
thing for now, absolute humility.
You may search long before you will find finer, more
searching touching self analysis than the passage
above Wilde had formed the purpose of suicide upon
his release but his finer nature revoed and he began
to catch the glimmer of hope. He had imbibed the
first lesson taught by sorrow-humiIity.
''Morality does not help me- l am born antinoman
/ of those who made for EXCEPTIONS not for
laws. But while that there is nothing wrong in
what does, that there is something wrong in
what one becomes. 1t is we'll to have learned that
This artist soul had passed through every stage of
experience pride, rage, grief sorrow, repentance
to the chasened feeling of fellowship for and
to courage and to hope. But his weakness is manifest
He meaning in moral laws. Religion does
not touch him. Artistic to his finger tips he says he
hopes some day to write book "Christ the Pre-
of the Romantic Movement in Life The finest
passage of all the book-and in it's call of soul for pity
and charity there few fner-is the concluding
All trials trials for ones e just all sentences
sentences of death: and three times have been
tried The first time left the box to be arrested, the
second time to be led back to the house of detention the
third time to pass into prison for two years Society,"
have constituted it, will have place for me- has
none to offer; but Nature whose sweet rains fall the
unjust and just alike will have clefts in the rocks
where may hide, and secret valleys in whose silence
may weep undsturbed. She will hang the night with
stars that may walk abroad in the darkness without
stumbling, and send the wind my footprints that
may track to my hurt; she will cleanse in
great waters, and with bitter herbs make whole"
What the lessons of this strange personality? On
the very surface of course, is the limited at when he
says: 81 see there is something wrong in what
becomes'-the gain loss of character. single sin
may be lapse but it's danger is in the habit of it which
slowly builds up pulls down character And character
determines destiny. The old lesson is plain, The soul
that sinneth"-that makes a business of sinning-''it
shall de.''
Another lesson may be found in Wilde's fatal admis
SION Morality does not help me-I exception
No is exception where normal law is concerned
Wilde failed to reae that art must comprehend morality