The Green Carnation The Green Carnation The Green Carnation, first published anonymously in 1894, was a scandalous novel by Robert Hichens whose lead characters are closely based on Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas – also known as "Bosie", whom the author personally knew. It was an instant "succès de scandale" on both sides of the Atlantic. The reviewer for "The Observer" wrote, ""The Green Carnation" will be read and discussed by everyone... nothing so impudent, so bold, or so delicious has been printed these many years." The book features the characters of "Esmé Amarinth" (Wilde), and "Lord Reginald (Reggie) Hastings" (Douglas). The
Lord Alfred Douglas a contributing editor. "Plain English" ran until the end of 1922. Douglas would later admit that its policy was "strongly anti-Semitic". From August 1920 (issue No 8) "Plain English" began publishing a long running series of articles called "The Jewish Peril" by Major-General Count Cherep-Spiridovitch the title of which was taken from the fore-title of George Shanks's version of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion". "Plain English" advertised (from issue 20) The Britons' second edition of Shank's version the Protocols. Douglas challenged the "Jewish Guardian", published by the League of British Jews, to take him to court suggesting they