Author: Oscar Wilde Page 5

I must decline your invitation owing to a subsequent invitation.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Situations

The difference between journalism and literature is that journalism is unreadable and literature is never read.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Communication Insults Reading/Writing

I understand that many newlyweds are vacationing here (Niagara Falls)… I suppose seeing the falls was their second biggest disappointment.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Husbands Marriage Wives

There can be nothing more frequent than an occasional drink.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Alcohol Food/Drink

Morality, like art, means a drawing a line someplace.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Art Characteristics Entertainment

A man's face is his autobiography; a womans face is her work of fiction.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Men People Women

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Alcohol Food/Drink Work

Time is a waste of money.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Money Time

The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Characteristics

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
People

Long engagements give people the opportunity of finding out each other's character before marriage, which is never advisable.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Characteristics Marriage

To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Characteristics

I like Wagner's music better than any other music; it is so loud that one can talk the whole time without people hearing what one says.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Insults Music

Good intentions are invariably ungrammatical.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Characteristics

He [Bernard Shaw] hasn’t an enemy in the world, and none of his friends like him.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Insults

If one could only teach the English how to talk, and the Irish how to listen, society here would be quite civilized.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Communication England People Places Speech

The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Communication Entertainment Opinion

Men always want to be a woman's first love; women like to be a man's last romance.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Emotions Love Men Women

A man's face is his autobiography; a woman's face is her work of fiction.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Appearance Men People Women

A monstrous orchid.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Insults

Ambition is the last refuge of the failure.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Characteristics