Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)
Irish essayist, novelist, playwright and poet.
The only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her if she is pretty and to someone else if she is plain.
There are three kinds of despots. There is the despot who tyrannises over the body. There is the despot who tyrannises over the soul. There is the despot who tyrannises over the soul and body alike. The first is called the Prince. The second is called the Pope. The third is called the People.
Kelvil: May I ask, Lord Illingworth, if you regard the House of Lords as a better institution than the House of Commons?
Lord Illingworth: A much better institution of course. We in the House of Lords are never in touch with public opinion. That makes us a civilised body.
I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing.
For a sentimentalist is simply one who desires to have the luxury of an emotion without paying for it.
Jack: That, my dear Algy, is the whole truth pure and simple.
Algernon: The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!
I don't recognize you - I've changed a lot.
I am dying as I have lived: beyond my means.
A lie is the beginning of a new story. That's why we love Art.
Now don't stir. I'll be back in five minutes. And don't fall into any temptations while I am away.
He is really not so ugly after all, provided, of course, that one shuts one's eyes, and does not look at him.
Thirty-five is a very attractive age. London society is full of women of the very highest birth who have, of their own free choice, remained thirty-five for years.
If we men married the women we deserved, we should have a very bad time of it.
What has Oscar in common with Art? except that he dines at our tables and picks from our platter the plums for the puddings he peddles in the provinces. Oscar -- the amiable, irresponsible, esurient Oscar -- with no more sense of a picture than of the fit of a coat, has the courage of the opinions -- of others!
Oh, why will parents always appear at the wrong time? Some extraordinary mistake in nature, I suppose.
In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.
What a pity that in life we only get our lessons when they are of no use to us.
No gentleman ever has any money.
Of course the music is a great difficulty. You see, if one plays good music, people don't listen, and if one plays bad music people don't talk.
I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works.