049 - The Poets' Corner--III

Wilde’s enduring literary legacy has weathered countless critiques, proving resilient against attempts to unearth the opinions he and his admirers might prefer to forget. This collection promises to captivate readers with its intriguing insights; some reviews are remarkably prophetic, while others reveal biases shaped by affection or animosity. Many reflect Wilde’s sharpest wit and most joyful creativity, with only a handful lacking color. According to Lord Beaconsfield, the judgments of a European nation can be seen as the verdict of posterity, and Wildes influence on literature has far exceeded what even his most supportive contemporaries could have imagined. Notably, when these reviews were penned, Wilde had barely begun publishing the works that would ultimately secure his fame across Europe, though he was already a prominent figure in both Paris and London’s aesthetic movement. (Summary from Introduction by Robert Ross)