Oscar Wilde would be very pleased to hear that 120 years after his famous novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was published, his true, unedited manuscript would be seeing the light. Before the book was published in 1890, Wilde’s editor made a number of changes to tone down its obvious homoeroticism, according to The Telegraph. He also removed references to the Gray’s lovers as “mistresses,” and other parts that “smacked of decadence.”

Edits aside, when the book was originally released, it was still met with public outcry about how “vulgar” and “unclean,” it was. Even further changes were made, and more text was removed shortly after its publication. Editor Nicholas Frankel says it’s finally time to publish the original, and “bring it out of the closet” for today’s more open-minded public.

One section reading “It is quite true I have worshipped you with far more romance of feeling than a man should ever give to a friend” was changed to: “From the moment I met you, your personality had the most extraordinary influence on me”. Decidedly less gay in the edited version. We’re excited to read Wilde’s original story, the way he intended it to be read.