De Profundis

A collection of the letters written during the author's imprisonment when, towards the end of his sentence, Wilde was allowed a single sheet at a time to write on. Although Wilde's request to send the letter was denied, he was permitted to keep the twenty-page letter on his release. On the day after his release, Wilde handed the manuscript to Robert Ross and two typed copies were then made; one was sent to Douglas, the other was retained by Ross (and later bequeathed to Vyvyan Holland). The original manuscript was presented to the British Library in 1909 (on condition that access was restricted for fifty years). The work was published by Ross in 1905, five years after the author's death.

First trade edition, first issue; 8vo (20 x 14 cm); 40 page advertisement of Methuen titles to rear, light foxing to prelims and endpapers, some offsetting and toning to endpapers, else very good; publisher's blue cloth, one-line gilt-panelled border, gilt lettering to spine and upper cover, spine slightly faded, some rubbing to extremities, occasional small white mark to boards, else very good; 152pp, [40]pp.