He got his brother to announce boldly in The World that owing to the “astonishing success of his ‘Poems’ Mr. Oscar Wilde had been invited to lecture in America.”

The invitation was imaginary; but Oscar had resolved to break into this new field; there was money in it, he felt sure.

Besides he had another string to his bow.  When the first rumblings of the social storm in Russia reached England, our aristocratic republican seized occasion by the forelock and wrote a play on the Nihilist Conspiracy called Vera.  This drama was impregnated with popular English liberal sentiment.  With the interest of actuality about it Vera was published in September, 1880; but fell flat.

The assassination of the Tsar Alexander, however, in March, 1881; the way Oscar’s poems published in June of that year were taken up by Miss Terry and puffed in the press, induced Mrs. Bernard Beere, an actress of some merit, to accept Vera for the stage.  It was suddenly announced that Vera would be put on by Mrs. Bernard Beere at The Adelphi in December, ’81; but the author had to be content with this advertisement.  December came and went and Vera was not staged.  It seemed probable to Oscar that it might be accepted in America; at any rate, there could be no harm in trying:  he sailed for New York.

It was on the cards that he might succeed in his new adventure.  The taste of America in letters and art is still strongly influenced, if not formed, by English taste, and, if Oscar Wilde had been properly accredited, it is probable that his extraordinary gift of speech would have won him success in America as a lecturer.

[Illustration:  Oscar Wilde as He Appeared at Twenty-seven:  on His First Visit to America]

His phrase to the Revenue officers on landing:  “I have nothing to declare except my genius,” turned the limelight full upon him and excited comment and discussion all over the country.  But the fuglemen of his caste whose praise had brought him to the front in England were almost unrepresented in the States, and never bold enough to be partisans.  Oscar faced the American Philistine public without his accustomed claque, and under these circumstances a half-success was evidence of considerable power.  His subjects were “The English Renaissance” and “House Decoration.”

His first lecture at Chickering Hall on January 9, 1882, was so much talked about that the famous impresario, Major Pond, engaged him for a tour which, however, had to be cut short in the middle as a monetary failure. The Nation gave a very fair account of his first lecture:  “Mr. Wilde is essentially a foreign product and can hardly succeed in this country.  What he has to say is not new, and his extravagance is not extravagant enough to amuse the average American audience.  His knee-breeches and long hair are good as far as they go; but Bunthorne has really spoiled the public for Wilde.”