Dorian Gray Is Withdrawn from Sale

On July 10, Britain's largest bookseller, W.H Smith and Son, informed Lippincott's Magazine that they felt "compelled to withdraw" the novel from their book stalls. This was the direct result of the negative public reception for the novel, and the immense critical backlash Wilde had been facing. A revised version of the novel, with 500 words removed and published in the July edition of The Atlantic, was also refused by W.H Smith and son despite the attempt at making it overall more palatable. Since the book was taken out of print for the time being, Oscar Wilde was protected from the National Vigilance Association, as they had no means of attacking him if it wasn't still being released.