Quotes from Oscar Wilde

You don't understand what friendship is, Harry, he murmured—or what enmity is, for that matter. You like every one; that is to say, you are indifferent to every one.

Indeed, no woman should ever be quite accurate about her age.  It looks so calculating .

Meredith is a prose Browning. So is Browning.

The terror of society, which is the basis of morals, the terror of God, which is the secret of religion - these are the two things that govern us

Ah! this morning! You have lived since then!

All excess, as well as renunciation, brings its own punishment.

A man whose desire is to be something separate from himself, to be a member of Parliament, or a successful grocer, or a prominent solicitor, or a judge, or something equally tedious, invariably succeeds in being what he wants to be.  That is his punishment.  Those who want a mask have to wear it.

Exploded! Was he the victim of a revolutionary outrage? I was not aware that Mr. Bunbury was interested in social legislation. If so, he is well punished for his morbidity.

The Icelanders are the most intelligent race on earth, because they discovered America and never told anyone.

Las emociones de las personas que se ha dejado de amar siempre tienen algo de ridículo.

Estoy harto de la inteligencia. Todo el mundo es inteligente en la actualidad. No se puede ir a ningún lado sin conocer a gente inteligente. La cosa se ??ha convertido en una verdadera calamidad pública. Desearía por sobre todas las cosas que aún nos quedaran algunos tontos.

Hello, I am Oscar Wilde

La ventaja de jugar con fuego, lady Caroline, es que no nos quemamos. Sólo se quema la gente que no sabe jugar con él.

Do you smoke? Jack.  Well, yes, I must admit I smoke. Lady Bracknell.  I am glad to hear it.  A man should always have an occupation of some kind. 

She is very clever, too clever for a woman. She lacks the indefinable charm of weakness. It is the feet of clay that make the gold of the image precious. Her feet are very pretty, but they are not feet of clay. White porcelain feet, if you like. They have been through the fire, and what fire does not destroy, it hardens. She has had experiences.

Kinder lieben ihre Eltern zuerst. Nach einer Weile beurteilen sie sie. Selten, wenn je, verzeihen sie ihnen.

Sim, é uma horrenda injustiça. Eu faço uma grande distinção entre as pessoas. Escolho os amigos pela aparência, os conhecidos pelo carácter e os inimigos pelo intelecto. Nunca é demais o cuidado que se põe na escolha dos inimigos. Não quero um que seja parvo. Todos eles têm uma certa intelectualidade, e, por conseguinte, todos eles me apreciam. É ser muito vaidoso? Parece-me que é sê-lo um bocadinho.

We have been able to have fine poetry in England because the public do not read it, and consequently do not influence it. 

Detesto todos los argumentos! Son siempre vulgares, y a menudo convincentes.

Worlds had to be in travail, that the meanest flower might blow. . . .

What fire does not destroy, it hardens.

Für den Philosophen sind die Frauen der Triumph der Materie über den Geist, - genau wie die Männer der Triumph des Geistes über die Moral sind.

The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If I ever get married, I'll certainly try to forget the fact.

Only England could have produced him, and he always said that the country was going to the dogs.