Quotes from Oscar Wilde

The more abstract, the more ideal an art is, the more it reveals to us the temper of its age. If we wish to understand a nation by means of its art, let us look at its architecture or its music.

Marriage is hardly a thing that one can do now and then, Harry. Except in America, rejoined Lord Henry, languidly.

For his mourners will be outcast men, And outcasts always mourn.

Lord Henry had not come in yet. He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.

Sweet, there is nothing left to say But this, that love is never lost

I often wonder what would have happened to those in pain if, instead of Christ, there had been a Christian.

The Americans are an extremely interesting people. They are absolutely reasonable. I think that is their distinguishing characteristic...I assure you there is no nonsense about the Americans.

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.

I shall write it in my diary to-night What? That a burnt child loves the fire

My sermon on the meaning of the manna in the wilderness can be adapted to almost any occasion, joyful, or, as in the present case, distressing. [All sigh.] I have preached it at harvest celebrations, christenings, confirmations, on days of humiliation and festal days.

Mi bella princesa, your funny little dwarf will never dance again. It is a pity; for he is so ugly that he might have made the King smile. 'But why will he never dance again?' asked the Infanta laughing. "Because his heart is broken", answered the Chamberlain.

Oh! In what a wild hour of madness he had killed his friend! How ghastly the mere memory of the scene! He saw it all again. Each hideous detail came back to him with added horror. Out of the black cave of Time, terrible and swathed in scarlet, rose the image of his sin.