Oscar Wilde Quotes - Page 45

• The fact is, that civilization requires slaves. Unless there are slaves to do the ugly, horrible, uninteresting work, culture and contemplation become almost impossible.

  Oscar Wilde

  Government, Civilization, Culture

  "The Soul of Man Under Socialism" (1891)

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• Do not be afraid of the past. If people tell you that it is irrevocable, do not believe them.

  Oscar Wilde

  Believe, Past, People

  Oscar Wilde, Russell Jackson, Ian Small (2000). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: De profundis, "Epistola : in carcere et vinculis"”, p.155, Oxford University Press on Demand

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• And thus we rust Life's iron chain
  Degraded and alone:
  And some men curse, and some men weep,
  And some men make no moan:
  But God's eternal Laws are kind
  And break the heart of stone

  Oscar Wilde

  Heart, Men, Law

  Oscar Wilde (2013). “Selected Poems of Oscar Wilde”, p.14, Simon and Schuster

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• Caricature is the tribute which mediocrity pays to genius.

  Oscar Wilde

  Genius, Mediocrity, Pay

  Oscar Wilde (1971). “Witticisms of Oscar Wilde”

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• If God really wanted to punish, he'd answer all our prayers.

  Oscar Wilde

  Prayer, Punishment, Answers

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• There was so much in you that charmed me that I felt I must tell you something about yourself. I thought how tragic it would be if you were wasted.

  Oscar Wilde

  Would Be, About Yourself, Tragic

  Oscar Wilde, Russell Jackson, Joseph Bristow, Ian Small (2000). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: The picture of Dorian Gray : the 1890 and 1891 texts”, p.187, Oxford University Press on Demand

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• There is nothing so difficult to marry as a large nose.

  Oscar Wilde

  Funny, Sarcastic, Noses

  Oscar Wilde (2013). “An Ideal Husband: Second Edition, Revised”, p.36, A&C Black

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• His morality is all sympathy, just what morality should be

  Oscar Wilde

  Sympathy, Morality, Should

  Oscar Wilde, Russell Jackson, Ian Small (2000). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: De profundis, "Epistola : in carcere et vinculis"”, p.120, Oxford University Press on Demand

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• We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it

  Oscar Wilde

  Men, Long, Forgiving

  Oscar Wilde (2012). “Epigrams”, p.114, BoD – Books on Demand

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• In all unimportant matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential. In all important matters, style, not sincerity, is the essential.

  Oscar Wilde

  Style, Important, Essentials

  Oscar Wilde (2012). “Epigrams”, p.66, BoD – Books on Demand

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• And suddenly the moon withdraws her sickle from the lightening skies, and to her sombre cavern flies, wrapped in a veil of yellow gauze.

  Oscar Wilde

  Moon, Sky, Yellow

  Oscar Wilde (2015). “Salome”, p.26, Broadview Press

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• I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays.

  Oscar Wilde

  Clever, Sick, Nuisance

  Oscar Wilde (1997). “Collected Works of Oscar Wilde: The Plays, the Poems, the Stories and the Essays Including De Profundis”, p.680, Wordsworth Editions

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• No woman should ever be quite accurate about her age. It looks so calculating.

  Oscar Wilde

  Birthday, Witty, Time

  Oscar Wilde, General Press (2016). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Novel, Short Stories, Poetry, Essays and Plays”, p.1389, GENERAL PRESS

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• Just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves, and so prevented the horror of the system being realized by those who suffered from it, and understood by those who contemplated it, so, in the present state of things in England, the people who do most harm are the people who try to do most good.

  Oscar Wilde

  Slave Owners, People, Being Real

  Oscar Wilde (1969). “The Artist as Critic: Critical Writings of Oscar Wilde”, p.256, University of Chicago Press

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• One should always eat muffins quite calmly. It is the only way to eat them.

  Oscar Wilde

  Muffins, Way, Should

  "The Importance of Being Earnest".

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• Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.

  Oscar Wilde

  Beautiful, Ugly, Faults

  Oscar Wilde (2005). “Picture of Dorian Gray”, p.11, Prestwick House Inc

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• Private information is practically the source of every large modern fortune.

  Oscar Wilde

  Information, Modern, Source

  Oscar Wilde (2000). “The Plays of Oscar Wilde”, p.306, Wordsworth Editions

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• I want to be good. I can't bear the idea of my soul being hideous.

  Oscar Wilde

  Ideas, Soul, Want

  Oscar Wilde, Russell Jackson, Joseph Bristow, Ian Small (2000). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: The picture of Dorian Gray : the 1890 and 1891 texts”, p.251, Oxford University Press on Demand

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• Education is very admirable but let us not forget that anything worth knowing cannot be taught.

  Oscar Wilde

  Inspirational, Knowing, Taught

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• Don't run down dyed hair and painted faces. There is an extraordinary charm in them, sometimes.

  Oscar Wilde

  Running, Hair, Faces

  Oscar Wilde, General Press (2016). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Novel, Short Stories, Poetry, Essays and Plays”, p.46, GENERAL PRESS

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• Make some sacrifice for your art and you will be repaid, but ask of art to sacrifice herself for you and a bitter disappointment may come to you.

  Oscar Wilde

  Art, Disappointment, Sacrifice

  Oscar Wilde (2014). “The Wit and Wisdom of Oscar Wilde”, p.48, Courier Corporation

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• The ancient historians gave us delightful fiction in the form of fact; the modern novelist presents us with dull facts under the guise of fiction.

  Oscar Wilde

  Writing, Novelists, Fiction

  Oscar Wilde, General Press (2016). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Novel, Short Stories, Poetry, Essays and Plays”, p.838, GENERAL PRESS

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• The growing influence of women is the one reassuring thing in our political life.

  Oscar Wilde

  Political, Growing, Influence

  Oscar Wilde, Peter Raby (2008). “The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays: Lady Windermere's Fan; Salome; A Woman of No Importance; An Ideal Husband; The Importance of Being Earnest”, p.103, Oxford Paperbacks

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• We live in the age of the overworked and the undereducated.

  Oscar Wilde

  Age, Industrious

  Oscar Wilde, General Press (2016). “The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Novel, Short Stories, Poetry, Essays and Plays”, p.691, GENERAL PRESS

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• I tried to visit Albania but I couldn't find it on the map.

  Oscar Wilde

  Albania, Maps

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