Oscar Wilde's Selected Prose of Oscar Wilde is a collection of essays and critiques written during the late 19th century. This anthology highlights Wilde's distinctive wit and originality, offering insights into various aspects of art, literature, and society while reflecting his belief in aestheticism and the interplay between life and artistic expression.
The collection includes a wide range of topics, such as critiques of contemporary writers, explorations of beauty in art, and reflections on morality and existence. At the beginning of the book, there is a preface by Robert Ross, who discusses the challenges of curating an anthology and sets the tone for Wilde’s prose explorations. Ross emphasizes the clarity and readability of Wilde’s writing, contrasting it with the excessive intricacy often found in the works of his contemporaries.
The anthology opens with Wilde's critical perspective on various authors, including sharp commentary on George Meredith and a critique of contemporary realism in literature. This introduction showcases Wilde's unique style, blending insightful criticism with lyrical prose, inviting readers into his richly imaginative world.

PREFACE

HOW THEY STRUCK A CONTEMPORARY
THE QUALITY OF GEORGE MEREDITH
LIFE THE FALLACIOUS MODEL
LIFE THE DISCIPLE
LIFE THE PLAGIARIST
THE INDISPENSABLE EAST
THE INFLUENCE OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS ON CLIMATE
AN EXPOSURE OF NATURALISM
THOMAS GRIFFITHS WAINEWRIGHT
WAINEWRIGHT AT HOBART TOWN
CARDINAL NEWMAN AND THE AUTOBIOGRAPHERS
ROBERT BROWNING
THE TWO SUPREME AND HIGHEST ARTS
THE SECRETS OF IMMORTALITY
THE CRITIC AND HIS MATERIAL
DANTE THE LIVING GUIDE
THE LIMITATIONS OF GENIUS
WANTED A NEW BACKGROUND
WITHOUT FRONTIERS
THE POETRY OF ARCHÆOLOGY
THE ART OF ARCHÆOLOGY
HEROD SUPPLIANT
THE TETRARCH’S REMORSE
THE TETRARCH’S TREASURE
SALOME ANTICIPATES DR. STRAUSS
THE YOUNG KING
A CORONATION
THE KING OF SPAIN
A BULL FIGHT
THE THRONE ROOM
A PROTECTED COUNTRY
THE BLACKMAILING OF THE EMPEROR
COVENT GARDEN
A LETTER FROM MISS JANE PERCY TO HER AUNT
THE TRIUMPH OF AMERICAN ‘HUMOR’
THE GARDEN OF DEATH
AN ETON KIT-CAT
MRS. ERLYNNE EXERCISES THE PREROGATIVE OF A GRANDMOTHER
MOTHERHOOD MORE THAN MARRIAGE
THE DAMNABLE IDEAL
FROM A REJECTED PRIZE-ESSAY
THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE USEFUL
THE ARTIST
THE DOER OF GOOD
THE DISCIPLE
THE MASTER
THE HOUSE OF JUDGMENT
THE TEACHER OF WISDOM
WILDE GIVES DIRECTIONS ABOUT ‘DE PROFUNDIS’
CAREY STREET
SORROW WEARS NO MASK
VITA NUOVA
THE GRAND ROMANTIC
CLAPHAM JUNCTION
THE BROKEN RESOLUTION
DOMESTICITY AT BERNEVAL
A VISIT TO THE POPE