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decorum that was characteristic of the
audience and its manner from first
to last. The lecturer wore a new suit,
consisting of dark velvet coat and knee
breeches, with a profusion of lace around
the neck, down the front and at the
cuffs. He had on dark stockings and pat-ent
leather pumps. He spoke for about
an hour without notes. He was atten-tively
listened to throughout his lecture
and frequently became exquisitely beau-tiful
in his language.”
The audience was referred to as “fair”
and “small” in the subsequent newspaper
reviews, and it attributed the lack of
attendance to the “night and season.”
Wilde’s lecture had been on Saturday
and the weather was moderately warm
so it is probable that many of those who
would have been inclined to attend were
probably away for the weekend.
Because his next engagement was in
Norfolk on Monday, Wilde decided to
take advantage of the weather and to
stay through the weekend. He accepted
an invitation by Captain Edward W.
Manning to come to Wrightsville.
On Sunday morning he was taken to
Manning’s Pine Grove resort, located
at the terminus of the Shell Road at
Wrightsville. The large inn, with its dou-ble
porches, stood where the Waterway
Lodge and Fisherman’s Wife gift bou-tique
stand today. Guest cottages, oyster
roasts and a pavilion surrounded it.
Capt. Manning was a Confederate navy
veteran who established the resort along
with a thriving fruit and vegetable farm
in 1878. Manning had also invited the
various residents of Wrightsville Sound
to come and pay their respects to the
distinguished visitor.
It is reported that Wilde partook of
an excellent dinner of which the lus-cious
pigfish and other aquatic special-ties
formed the principle ingredients.
He was then taken by boat by the host
Opposite, Captain Edward W. Manning’s Pine Grove, courtesy of New Hanover County Public Library Robert M. Fales Collection. Above,
Oscar Wilde, circa 1882, courtesy of the Thalian Hall Archives Collection.