Children in Prison and Other Cruelties of Prison Life. London: Murdoch & Co., [1898]. FIRST SEPARATELY PRINTED EDITION. Pp, 16. Original printed wrappers, handsomely bound in full polished calf, double gilt fillets boards, gilt floral corner-pieces, title lettered in gilt along spine. Gift inscription to front pastedown, overall a nice  bright copy.

After having been released from Reading Prison, Wilde produced this piece for the “Daily Chronicle,” where it appeared in May of 1897 under the title “The Case of Warder Martin: Some Cruelties of Prison Life.”

The essay, which calls for the elimination of prisoners under the age of 14 and for more humane treatment of prisoners generally, was prompted by the dismissal of Martin, who lost his job because of kindnesses to inmates in contravention of prison rules. According to the prefatory note here, he was “found guilty of feeding the hungry, nursing the sick, of being kindly and humane.”

The present insubstantially made pamphlet is a scarce Wilde item rarely found in good condition.

[Mason 26].