The first round in the battle with Fate was inconclusive.

Oscar Wilde had managed to get known and talked about and had kept his head above water for a couple of years while learning something about life and more about himself.

On the other hand he had spent almost all his patrimony, had run into some debt besides; yet seemed as far as ever from earning a decent living.

The outlook was disquieting.
Even as a young man Oscar had a very considerable understanding of life.

He could not make his way as a journalist, the English did not care for his poetry; but there was still the lecture-platform.