Intentions

A rare 1914 French translation presents Oscar Wilde’s later reflections in a compact volume of just thirty numbered copies. The edition opens with a thoughtful preface and editorial notes that frame Wilde’s intimate musings, while the translation by Hugues Rebell preserves the lyrical quirks of the original language. Listeners are invited into a carefully curated text that blends the author’s own prose with scholarly commentary, creating a layered listening experience.

In these opening pages Wilde explores the tension between light and shadow, using the garden of the world as a metaphor for his yearning to taste every fruit of existence. He confronts fame, suffering and the paradox of seeking pleasure through pain, offering a candid look at the artist’s inner struggle. The prose is both poetic and philosophical, promising a rich, contemplative journey that reveals Wilde’s relentless curiosity about destiny and the human condition.