Frank T. Zumbachs Mysterious World

Harris and Wilde became aquainted while Harris was editor of the Fortnightly Review. After Wilde had had his essay The Critic As Artist published Harris wrote to him, congratulating him and telling him that this essay had changed his mind about him: previously he had ‚done him wrong in his thoughts‘, but now recognised him as a great writer and thinker. From this point onward Harris would champion Wilde and be a true friend to him. For example, Harris would defend Lady Windermere’s Fan as ‚the best comedy in English‘ against the snide and unpleasant consensus of the London theatre critics of the time.

Oscar Wilde When Wilde was considering the ill-fated libel suit against Queensberry, Harris warned him against it, advising him instead to flee to Paris. Harris foresaw that Queensberry as a father supposedly acting to protect his son against a corrupting older man would inevitably have the sympathy of the court. But Wilde, spurred on by Lord Alfred Douglas, did not take the advice.

Again, when Wilde was on bail between the second and the final of his trials, Harris, believing in Wilde’s innocence, proposed some new lines of defence. Wilde confessed his guilt. Harris, unabashed, obtained the use of a steam yacht for Wilde to escape to France, but Wilde was seemingly determined to meet his doom head-on.

While Wilde was in prison Harris was one of those who tried to get up a petition on his behalf, to ask that his conditions be improved and that he be permitted access to writing materials. Harris was dismayed by the lack of enthusiasm shown by the writers he approached, who included Thomas Hardy and George Meredith.

When Wilde was released, Harris proposed that they should take a trip to the Pyrenees together. Wilde did not take up his offer, but a few years later they did spend three months in the South of France, though Harris was largely absent in Monaco, buying a hotel. (Alfred Armstrong)