Oscar Wilde (
1854-
1900)
first published in the
Saturday Review, November 17,
1894
Education is an admirable thing. But it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.
Public opinion exists only where there are no
ideas.
The
English are always degrading truths into facts. When a truth becomes a fact it loses all its intellectual value.
It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless information.
The only link between
Literature and
Drama left to us in
England at the present moment is the bill of the play.
In old days books were written by
men of letters and read by the public. Nowadays books are written by the public and read by nobody.
Most women are so artificial that they have no sense of
Art. Most men are so natural that they have no sense of
Beauty.
Friendship is far more tragic than love. It lasts longer.
What is abnormal in Life stands in normal relations to Art. It is the only thing in Life that stands in normal relations to Art.
A subject that is beautiful in itself gives no suggestion to the artist. It lacks
imperfection.
The only thing that the
artist cannot see is the obvious. The only thing that the public can see is the obvious. The result is the Criticism of the
Journalist.
Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.
To be really mediæval one should have no body. To be really modern one should have no soul. To be really
Greek one should have no clothes.
Dandyism is the assertion of the absolute
modernity of Beauty.
The only thing that can console one for being poor is
extravagance. The only thing that can console one for being rich is
economy.
One should never listen. To listen is a sign of indifference to one's hearers.
Even the disciple has his uses. He stands behind one's throne, and at the moment of one's triumph whispers in one's ear that, after all, one is immortal.
The
criminal classes are so close to us that even the
policemen can see them. They are so far away from us that only the
poet can understand them.
Those whom the
gods love grow young.