Letter:Barbaric sentence for Oscar Wilde

From Mr Michael Mason

Sir: Your reporter's notion that placing a memorial to Oscar Wilde in Poets' Corner was to welcome him back into the literary establishment bemused me ("Wilde joins the establishment 100 years late", 15 February). A mark of contrition it may have been, though the church primly insists it is honouring Wilde the writer, not Wilde the lover of men (as if the two could be separated). But Wilde's work was, and remains, a glorious, glittering affront to establishments. Individualism was the very fabric from which it was woven.

For the nation to sentence him to two years' hard labour and an early death was cruel and shameful. But to dig the poor man up after 100 years and sentence him to the literary establishment is barbarism beyond belief.

Yours faithfully,

MICHAEL MASON

Director

Capital Gay

London, WC1