A Critic in Pall Mall: Being Extracts from Reviews and Miscellanies by Oscar Wilde
Author: Oscar Wilde | Published: -
A Critic in Pall Mall: Being Extracts from Reviews and Miscellanies
Excerpt:
As one enters Rome from the Via Ostiensis by the Porta San Paolo, the first object that meets the eye is a marble pyramid which stands close at hand on the left.
There are many Egyptian obelisks in Rome—tall, snakelike spires of red sandstone, mottled with strange writings, which remind us of the pillars of flame which led the children of Israel through the desert away from the land of the Pharaohs; but more wonderful than these to look upon is this gaunt, wedge-shaped pyramid standing here in this Italian city, unshattered amid the ruins and wrecks of time, looking older than the Eternal City itself, like terrible impassiveness turned to stone. And so in the Middle Ages men supposed this to be the sepulchre of Remus, who was slain by his own brother at the founding of the city, so ancient and mysterious it appears; but we have now, perhaps unfortunately, more accurate information about it, and know that it is the tomb of one Caius Cestius, a Roman gentleman of small note, who died about 30 b.c.
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About Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde is one of the most influential and important literary figures of the Victorian era. His works, which include The Picture of Dorian Gray, An Ideal Husband and Lady Windermere’s Fan, are known for their wit, satire and criticism of Victorian morality. Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854 and studied at Oxford before settling in London where he quickly made a name for himself as a playwright, poet and essayist. His writing style was unique - blending elements of both the Romantic period with realism to create highly acclaimed works that still remain relevant today.
Wilde's personal life was also interesting - he married Constance Lloyd and had two sons before engaging in a scandalous affair with Lord Alfred Douglas that resulted in his imprisonment on charges related to homosexuality. Find out more about Oscar Wilde.