《自深深處》的原題是"de profundis"，拉丁文，意為"from the depth"(從深處)。對(duì)寫 著這封信的王爾德來說，當(dāng)時(shí)他身處的監(jiān)獄無異于地獄深淵。而正是在這深淵里，在無限的悲痛之中，他開始反思從前的 生活，思索痛苦和人生的意義，藝術(shù)和愛的真諦，最終將那些痛苦的淚水都化作了優(yōu)美而深沉的文字，不僅是寫給波西， 也是寫給每一個(gè)有緣讀到這封信的人。

作者簡介：奧斯卡·王爾德(Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900)，英國維多利亞時(shí)代著名作家， “唯美主義運(yùn)動(dòng)”的領(lǐng)軍人物，倡導(dǎo)“為藝術(shù)而藝術(shù)”(Art for art's sake)。他的代表作有 戲劇《莎樂美》(Salome)《認(rèn)真的重要性》(The Importance of Being Earnest)，童話《快樂王子》(The Happy Prince) 《夜鶯與玫瑰》(The Nightingale and the Rose)，小說《道連·格雷的畫像》(The Picture of Dorian Gray)， 以及書信《自深深處》(De Profundis)等。

【原著選段】

I have no doubt that in this letter in which I?have to write of your life and of mine, of the past and?of the future, of sweet things changed to bitterness?and of bitter things that may be turned into joy, there?will be much that will wound your vanity to the?quick. If it prove so, read the letter over and over?again till it kills your vanity. If you find in it?something of which you feel that you are?unjustly?accused, remember that one should be thankful?that there is any fault of which one can be?unjustly accused. If there be in it one single?passage that brings tears to your eyes, weep as we?weep in prison where the day no less than the?night is set apart for tears. It is the only thing?that can save you.

【孫宜學(xué)譯本】