Lord Alfred's father, the Marquess of Queensberry, often feuded with his son over the topic. As the two grew closer, family and friends on both sides urged Wilde and Douglas to lessen their contact. It was an incomplete version, excised of its autobiographical elements and references to the Queensberry family various editions gave more text until in 1962 the complete and correct version appeared in a volume of Wilde's letters.In 1891 Wilde began an intimate friendship with Lord Alfred Douglas, a young, vain aristocrat. Ross published the letter in 1905, five years after Wilde's death, giving it the title 'De Profundis' from Psalm 130. Wilde entrusted the manuscript to the journalist Robert Ross (another former lover, loyal friend, and rival to 'Bosie'). Nelson gave the long letter to him on his release on. He was not allowed to send the long letter which he was allowed to write 'for medicinal purposes' each page was taken away when completed, and only at the end could he read it over and make revisions. Nelson, the new prison governor, thought that writing might be more cathartic than prison labour.

Contact had lapsed between Douglas and Wilde and the latter had suffered from his close supervision, physical labour, and emotional isolation.

The letter began 'Dear Bosie' and ended 'Your Affectionate Friend'.Wilde wrote the letter between January and March 1897, close to the end of his imprisonment. In the second half, Wilde charts his spiritual development in prison and identification with Jesus Christ, whom he characterises as a romantic, individualist artist. He indicts both Lord Alfred's vanity and his own weakness in acceding to those wishes. De Profundis is a letter written by Oscar Wilde during his imprisonment in Reading Gaol, to 'Bosie' (Lord Alfred Douglas).In its first half Wilde recounts their previous relationship and extravagant lifestyle which eventually led to Wilde's conviction and imprisonment for gross indecency.

De profundis letter