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the sun and deals directly with things。 I feel sure that in
elemental forces there is purification； and I want to go back to
them and live in their presence。
Of course to one so modern as I am； 'Enfant de mon siecle；' merely
to look at the world will be always lovely。 I tremble with pleasure
when I think that on the very day of my leaving prison both the
laburnum and the lilac will be blooming in the gardens； and that I
shall see the wind stir into restless beauty the swaying gold of the
one； and make the other toss the pale purple of its plumes； so that
all the air shall be Arabia for me。 Linnaeus fell on his knees and
wept for joy when he saw for the first time the long heath of some
English upland made yellow with the tawny aromatic brooms of the
common furze； and I know that for me； to whom flowers are part of
desire； there are tears waiting in the petals of some rose。 It has
always been so with me from my boyhood。 There is not a single
colour hidden away in the chalice of a flower； or the curve of a
shell； to which； by some subtle sympathy with the very soul of
things； my nature does not answer。 Like Gautier； I have always been
one of those 'pour qui le monde visible existe。'
Still； I am conscious now that behind all this beauty； satisfying
though it may be； there is some spirit hidden of which the painted
forms and shapes are but modes of manifestation； and it is with this
spirit that I desire to become in harmony。 I have grown tired of
the articulate utterances of men and things。 The Mystical in Art；
the Mystical in Life； the Mystical in Nature this is what I am
looking for。 It is absolutely necessary for me to find it
somewhere。
All trials are trials for one's life； just as all sentences are
sentences of death； and three times have I been tried。 The first
time I left the box to be arrested； the second time to be led back
to the house of detention； the third time to pass into a prison for
two years。 Society； as we have constituted it； will have no place
for me； has none to offer； but Nature； whose sweet rains fall on
unjust and just alike； will have clefts in the rocks where I may
hide； and secret valleys in whose silence I may weep undisturbed。
She will hang the night with stars so that I may walk abroad in the
darkness without stumbling； and send the wind over my footprints so
that none may track me to my hurt： she will cleanse me in great
waters； and with bitter herbs make me whole。De Profundis
DOMESTICITY AT BERNEVAL
DIEPPE；
June 1st； 1897。
My Dear Robbie；I propose to live at Berneval。 I will NOT live in
Paris； nor in Algiers； nor in Southern Italy。 Surely a house for a
year； if I choose to continue there； at 32 pounds is absurdly cheap。
I could not live cheaper at a hotel。 You are penny foolish； and
pound foolisha dreadful state for my financier to be in。 I told
M。 Bonnet that my bankers were MM。 Ross et Cie； banquiers celebres
de Londresand now you suddenly show me that you have no place
among the great financial people； and are afraid of any investment
over 31 pounds； 10s。 It is merely the extra ten shillings that
baffles you。 As regards people living on me； and the extra
bedrooms： dear boy； there is no one who would stay with me but you；
and you will pay your own bill at the hotel for meals； and as for
your room； the charge will be nominally 2 francs 50 centimes a
night； but there will be lots of extras such as bougie； bain and hot
water； and all cigarettes smoked in the bedrooms are charged extra。
And if any one does not take the extras； of course he is charged
more：…
Bain； 25 C。
Pas de bain； 50 C。
Cigarette dans la chambre e coucher； 10 C。 pour chaque cigarette。
Pas de cigarette dans la chambre e coucher； 20 C。 pour chaque
cigarette。
This is the system at all good hotels。 If Reggie comes； of course
he will pay a little more： I cannot forget that he gave me a
dressing…case。 Sphinxes pay a hundred per cent more than any one
elsethey always did in Ancient Egypt。
But seriously； Robbie； if people stayed with me； of course they
would pay their PENSION at the hotel。 They would have to： except
architects。 A modern architect； like modern architecture； doesn't
pay。 But then I know only one architect and you are hiding him
somewhere from me。 I believe that he is as extinct as the dado； of
which now only fossil remains are found； chiefly in the vicinity of
Brompton； where they are sometimes discovered by workmen excavating。
They are usually embedded in the old Lincrusta Walton strata； and
are rare consequently。
I visited M。 le Cure ｛4｝ to…day。 He has a charming house and a
jardin potager。 He showed me over the church。 To…morrow I sit in
the choir by his special invitation。 He showed me all his
vestments。 To…morrow he really will be charming in red。 He knows I
am a heretic； and believes Pusey is still alive。 He says that God
will convert England on account of England's kindness to les pretres
exiles at the time of the Revolution。 It is to be the reward of
that sea…lashed island。
Stained glass windows are wanted in the church； he has only six；
fourteen more are needed。 He gets them at 300 francs12 poundsa
window in Paris。 I was nearly offering half a dozen； but remembered
you； and so only gave him something pour les pauvres。 You had a
narrow escape； Robbie。 You should be thankful。
I hope the 40 pounds is on its way； and that the 60 pounds will
follow。 I am going to hire a boat。 It will save walking and so be
an economy in the end。 Dear Robbie； I must start well。 If the life
of St。 Francis of Assissi awaits me I shall not be angry。 Worse
things might happen。
Yours；
OSCAR。
… Letter to Robert Ross。
A VISIT TO THE POPE
c/o COOK & SON； PIAZZA DI SPAGNA； ROME；
April 16th； 1900。
My dear Robbie；I simply cannot write。 It is too horrid； not of
me； but to me。 It is a mode of paralysisa cacoethes tacendithe
one form that malady takes in me。
Well； all passed over very successfully。 Palermo； where we stayed
eight days； was lovely。 The most beautifully situated town in the
worldit dreams away its life in the concha d'oro； the exquisite
valley that lies between two seas。 The lemon groves and the orange
gardens were so entirely perfect that I became quite a Pre…
Raphaelite； and loathed the ordinary impressionists whose muddly
souls and blurred intelligences would have rendered； but by mud and
blur； those 〃golden lamps hung in a green night〃 that filled me with
such joy。 The elaborate and exquisite detail of the true Pre…
Raphaelite is the compensation they offer us for the absence of
motion； literature and motion being the only arts that are not
immobile。
Then nowhere； not even at Ravenna； have I seen such mosaics as in
the Capella Palatine； which from pavement to domed ceiling is all
gold： one really feels as if one was sitting in the heart of a
great honey…comb looking at angels singing： and LOOKING at angels；
or indeed at people； singing； is much nicer than listening to them；
for this reason： the great artists always give to their angels
lutes without strings； pipes without vent…holes； and reeds through
which no wind can wander or make whistlings。
Monreale you have heard ofwith its cloisters and cathedral： we
often drove there。
I also made great friends with a young seminarist； who lived in the
cathedral of Palermohe and eleven others； in little rooms beneath
the roof； like birds。
Every day he showed me all over the cathedral； I knelt before the
huge porphyry sarcophagus in which Frederick the Second lies： it is
a sublime bare monstrous thingblood…coloured； and held up by lions
who have caught some of the rage of the great Emperor's restless
soul。 At first my young friend； Giuseppe Loverdi； gave me
information； but on the third day I gave information to him； and re…
wrote history as usual； and told him all about the supreme King and
his Court of Poets； and the terrible book that he never wrote。 His
reason for entering the church was singularly mediaeval。 I asked
him why he thought of becoming a clerico； and how。 He answered：
〃My father is a cook and most poor； and we are many at home； so it
seemed to me a good thing that there should be in so small a house
as ours； one mouth less to feed； for though I am slim； I eat much；
too much； alas！ I fear。〃
I told him to be comforted； because God used poverty often as a
means of bringing people to Him； and used riches never； or rarely；
so Giuseppe was comforted； and I gave him a little book of devotion；
very pretty； and with far more pictures than prayers in itso of
great service to Giuseppe whose eyes are beautiful。 I also gave him
many lire； and prophesied for him a Cardinal's hat； if he remained
very good and never forgot me。
At Naples we stopped three days： most of