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Lady Windermere； before Heaven your husband is guiltless of all
offence towards you！ And II tell you that had it ever occurred to
me that such a monstrous suspicion would have entered your mind； I
would have died rather than have crossed your life or hisoh！ died；
gladly died！ Believe what you choose about me。 I am not worth a
moment's sorrow。 But don't spoil your beautiful young life on my
account！ You don't know what may be in store for you； unless you
leave this house at once。 You don't know what it is to fall into
the pit； to be despised； mocked； abandoned； sneered atto be an
outcast！ to find the door shut against one； to have to creep in by
hideous byways； afraid every moment lest the mask should be stripped
from one's face； and all the while to hear the laughter； the
horrible laughter of the world； a thing more tragic than all the
tears the world has ever shed。 You don't know what it is。 One pays
for one's sin； and then one pays again； and all one's life one pays。
You must never know that。As for me； if suffering be an expiation；
then at this moment I have expiated all my faults； whatever they
have been； for to…night you have made a heart in one who had it not；
made it and broken it。But let that pass。 I may have wrecked my
own life； but I will not let you wreck yours。 Youwhy； you are a
mere girl； you would be lost。 You haven't got the kind of brains
that enables a woman to get back。 You have neither the wit nor the
courage。 You couldn't stand dishonour！ No！ Go back； Lady
Windermere； to the husband who loves you； whom you love。 You have a
child； Lady Windermere。 Go back to that child who even now； in pain
or in joy； may be calling to you。 God gave you that child。 He will
require from you that you make his life fine； that you watch over
him。 What answer will you make to God if his life is ruined through
you？ Back to your house； Lady Windermereyour husband loves you！
He has never swerved for a moment from the love he bears you。 But
even if he had a thousand loves； you must stay with your child。 If
he was harsh to you； you must stay with your child。 If he ill…
treated you； you must stay with your child。 If he abandoned you；
your place is with your child。Lady Windermere's Fan
MOTHERHOOD MORE THAN MARRIAGE
Men don't understand what mothers are。 I am no different from other
women except in the wrong done me and the wrong I did； and my very
heavy punishments and great disgrace。 And yet； to bear you I had to
look on death。 To nurture you I had to wrestle with it。 Death
fought with me for you。 All women have to fight with death to keep
their children。 Death； being childless； wants our children from us。
Gerald； when you were naked I clothed you； when you were hungry I
gave you food。 Night and day all that long winter I tended you。 No
office is too mean； no care too lowly for the thing we women love
and oh！ how I loved YOU。 Not Hannah； Samuel more。 And you needed
love； for you were weakly； and only love could have kept you alive。
Only love can keep any one alive。 And boys are careless often and
without thinking give pain； and we always fancy that when they come
to man's estate and know us better they will repay us。 But it is
not so。 The world draws them from our side； and they make friends
with whom they are happier than they are with us； and have
amusements from which we are barred； and interests that are not
ours： and they are unjust to us often； for when they find life
bitter they blame us for it； and when they find it sweet we do not
taste its sweetness with them 。 。 。 You made many friends and went
into their houses and were glad with them； and I； knowing my secret；
did not dare to follow； but stayed at home and closed the door； shut
out the sun and sat in darkness。 What should I have done in honest
households？ My past was ever with me。 。 。 。 And you thought I
didn't care for the pleasant things of life。 I tell you I longed
for them； but did not dare to touch them； feeling I had no right。
You thought I was happier working amongst the poor。 That was my
mission； you imagined。 It was not； but where else was I to go？ The
sick do not ask if the hand that smooths their pillow is pure； nor
the dying care if the lips that touch their brow have known the kiss
of sin。 It was you I thought of all the time； I gave to them the
love you did not need： lavished on them a love that was not theirs
。 。 。 And you thought I spent too much of my time in going to
Church； and in Church duties。 But where else could I turn？ God's
house is the only house where sinners are made welcome； and you were
always in my heart； Gerald； too much in my heart。 For； though day
after day； at morn or evensong； I have knelt in God's house； I have
never repented of my sin。 How could I repent of my sin when you； my
love； were its fruit！ Even now that you are bitter to me I cannot
repent。 I do not。 You are more to me than innocence。 I would
rather be your motheroh！ much rather！than have been always pure
。 。 。 Oh； don't you see？ don't you understand？ It is my dishonour
that has made you so dear to me。 It is my disgrace that has bound
you so closely to me。 It is the price I paid for youthe price of
soul and bodythat makes me love you as I do。 Oh； don't ask me to
do this horrible thing。 Child of my shame； be still the child of my
shame！A Woman of No Importance
THE DAMNABLE IDEAL
Why can't you women love us； faults and all？ Why do you place us on
monstrous pedestals？ We have all feet of clay； women as well as
men； but when we men love women； we love them knowing their
weaknesses； their follies； their imperfections； love them all the
more； it may be； for that reason。 It is not the perfect； but the
imperfect； who have need of love。 It is when we are wounded by our
own hands； or by the hands of others； that love should come to cure
uselse what use is love at all？ All sins； except a sin against
itself； Love should forgive。 All lives； save loveless lives； true
Love should pardon。 A man's love is like that。 It is wider；
larger； more human than a woman's。 Women think that they are making
ideals of men。 What they are making of us are false idols merely。
You made your false idol of me； and I had not the courage to come
down； show you my wounds； tell you my weaknesses。 I was afraid that
I might lose your love； as I have lost it now。 And so； last night
you ruined my life for meyes； ruined it！ What this woman asked of
me was nothing compared to what she offered to me。 She offered
security； peace； stability。 The sin of my youth； that I had thought
was buried； rose up in front of me； hideous； horrible； with its
hands at my throat。 I could have killed it for ever； sent it back
into its tomb； destroyed its record； burned the one witness against
me。 You prevented me。 No one but you； you know it。 And now what
is there before me but public disgrace； ruin； terrible shame； the
mockery of the world； a lonely dishonoured life； a lonely
dishonoured death； it may be； some day？ Let women make no more
ideals of men！ let them not put them on alters and bow before them；
or they may ruin other lives as completely as youyou whom I have
so wildly lovedhave ruined mine！An Ideal Husband
FROM A REJECTED PRIZE…ESSAY
Nations may not have missions but they certainly have functions。
And the function of ancient Italy was not merely to give us what is
statical in our institutions and rational in our law； but to blend
into one elemental creed the spiritual aspirations of Aryan and of
Semite。 Italy was not a pioneer in intellectual progress； nor a
motive power in the evolution of thought。 The owl of the goddess of
Wisdom traversed over the whole land and found nowhere a resting…
place。 The dove； which is the bird of Christ； flew straight to the
city of Rome and the new reign began。 It was the fashion of early
Italian painters to represent in mediaeval costume the soldiers who
watched over the tomb of Christ； and this； which was the result of
the frank anachronism of all true art； may serve to us as an
allegory。 For it was in vain that the Middle Ages strove to guard
the buried spirit of progress。 When the dawn of the Greek spirit
arose； the sepulchre was empty； the grave…clothes laid aside。
Humanity had risen from the dead。
The study of Greek； it has been well said； implies the birth of
criticism； comparison and research。 At the opening of that
education of modern by ancient thought which we call the
Renaissance； it was the words of Aristotle which sent Columbus
sailing to the New World； while a fragment of Pythagorean astronomy
set Copernicus thinking on that train of reasoning which has
revolutionised the whole position of our planet in the universe。
Then it was seen that the only meaning of progress is a return to
Greek modes of thought。 The monkish hymns