deed, he may be said to have assumed, even to English dionysians something of the aspect of a judicial martyr. An exaggerated personal cult for Wilde (considerably due to imperfect knowledge of his individuality) and a correspondingly exaggerated estimate of his intellectualism have become noticeable in circles of English homosexuals. In France, the same curious error of perspective is common. The brilliancy of Wilde, at its brightest, did not reach the level of genius. His originality of thought, and even of expression in his writings, his suggestiveness as an aesthetic theorist, his epigrammatic independence in conversation and print, all are highly discutable traits. Again, Wilde's type of uranianism was in no sense classic. It was far below the level of idealism which his intellectuality would lead one to expect. His sexual instincts were concentrated on vulgar boy-prostitutes of the town. His receiving the halo of a "martyr" to homosexualism is also the less well-bestowed, since he repudiated in his last writings (though perhaps with his constitutional insincerity) the morality of the homosexual instinct, and so died "repentant." That Wilde was a victim of British social intolerance and hypocrisy, and of the need of new and intelligent English legislation as to similisexual instincts is perfectly true; but Wilde himself was not a little a shrewd and superficial poseur, to the very last.
The name of Lord Alfred D— is perhaps indissolubly linked to that of Oscar Wilde, as being the latter's literary protègé, in some sort; apart from any other relationship. Much Wilde's junior, and possessed of considerably literary ability, he early identified himself with uranian literature in such verses as the sonnet with "I am the Love that Dares not Speak its Name" and others, in the extinct periodical "The Chameleon"; in the sketch "Priest and Acolyte" (attributed also to Wilde at one time) in some well-written articles, analytic of Wilde, in London literary print; and in various other contributions.
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