Oscar Wilde and the Soul of Socialism by Haverford Downs

Thanks to Gold Italy

Title: Oscar Wilde and the Soul of Socialism 

Author: Haverford Downs

Publisher: Not known 

Source book: Summer’s Lease by John Mortimer 

Dreadful old man Haverford Downs writes a weekly column “Jottings” for left wing publication The Informer. In Summer’s Lease we learn that he is a great admirer of Oscar Wilde, and has written a book; Oscar Wilde and the Soul of Socialism.

Since I am no expert on Oscar Wilde (obviously I’ve seen The Importance of Being Earnest often on film, and once on stage), I had no idea he had written an essay called The Soul of Man Under Socialism in 1891. 

I must say, it seems quite surprising that Haverford Downs who spends so much of his life thinking about and looking for sex, and yet more time drinking, would be prepared to put sufficient effort into writing a fairly erudite sounding book about Oscar Wilde. But I am not as enchanted with the character as some of the reviewers were.

Haverford Downs is Molly’s father. He spots Molly’s unsatisfactory lawyer husband with his regular lunchtime date, and blackmails him so that he invites Haverford on their Tuscan holiday.

Let’s be honest. If Haverford was my father and I was Molly, I would have refused to let him infest my summer holiday and definitely would have smacked him every time he called me “Molly Coddle”. 

I vaguely remember the BBC dramatisation starring Sir John Gielgud. In my memory Summer’s Lease is all about following the Piero della Francesca trail to Urbino. I don’t recall anything about murder or the theft of water. And naturally I don’t remember any mention of Haverford Downs’s book. Likely because it wasn’t mentioned.

You can follow the Piero della Francesco trail on the Discover Tuscany website. Hotel bookings, the lot.