Wilde, Oscar.

8vo (238 x 155mm.), first published appearance, with the Philadelphia imprint, adverts at beginning and end, original printed wrappers in red and black, collector's chemise and red morocco-backed slipcase, minor spotting to wrappers, short split at foot of lower joint, edges very slightly frayed

Mason 82

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First appearance of this important story which was revised and enlarged for final publication in book form.

"The effect of Dorian Gray was prodigious. No novel had commanded so much attention for years, or awakened sentiments so contradictory in its readers." (Richard Ellmann, Oscar Wilde).

The original published version of Wilde's celebrated short story comprised thirteen chapters. It was subsequently revised and enlarged for book publication. Mason notes that the plates for Lippincott's Monthly Magazine were set up in America and published in both London [Mason 81] and Philadelphia [Mason 82].

It was in September 1899 that the Philadelphia publisher of Lippincott's Magazine, J.M. Stoddart, came to London looking for short novels for publication. He approached both Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle, and took both out to dinner: an event recorded by Doyle as "a golden evening". Doyle ended up agreeing to write a second Sherlock Holmes story (The Sign of Four), while Wilde contributed The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde found composition very difficult, but when it appeared on 20 June 1890 it immediately created a huge amount of attention and interest. Some critics found it highly repellent, W.H. Smith refused to stock it, and Macmillan refused to publish it in book form on the grounds that it contained unpleasant references. But there is no doubt that Victorian literature was irrevocably altered when it appeared; furthermore, the book had a profound impact on Wilde's own life, since a copy was lent by Lionel Johnson to his young cousin Lord Alfred Douglas, who begged to be taken to meet the author. Thus Wilde saw his own fictional character come to life.