Beauty is a form of genius--is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation. It is of the great facts in the world like sunlight, or springtime, or the reflection in dark water of that silver shell we call the moon. Oscar Wilde More Quotes by Oscar Wilde More Quotes From Oscar Wilde Charity creates a multitude of sins. Oscar Wilde multitudes charity sin He had that curious love of green, which in individuals is always the sign of a subtle artistic temperament, and in nations is said to denote a laxity, if not a decadence of morals. Oscar Wilde green color love Cultivated leisure is the aim of man. Oscar Wilde leisure aim men The ugly can be beautiful. The pretty, never. Oscar Wilde ugly beautiful The only thing that one really knows about human nature is that it changes. Change is the one quality we can predicate of it. The systems that fail are those that rely on the permanency of human nature, and not on its growth and development. The error of Louis XIV was that he thought human nature would always be the same. The result of his error was the French Revolution. It was an admirable result. Oscar Wilde errors growth nature Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in the marketplace. It may not be purchased of the merchants, for can it be weighed out in the balance for gold. Oscar Wilde balance gold love-is The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork. Oscar Wilde table-manners oysters world Life is too short to be in a hurry. Oscar Wilde life-is-too-short too-short life-is Salomé, Salomé, dance for me. I pray thee dance for me. I am sad to-night. Yes, I am passing sad to-night. When I came hither I slipped in blood, which is an evil omen; and I heard, I am sure I heard in the air a beating of wings, a beating of giant wings. I cannot tell what they mean .... I am sad to-night. Therefore dance for me. Dance for me, Salomé, I beseech you. If you dance for me you may ask of me what you will, and I will give it you, even unto the half of my kingdom. Oscar Wilde wings night mean Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. Oscar Wilde holiday new-year funny It is only an auctioneer who can equally and impartially admire all schools of art. Oscar Wilde book art school They are always asking a writer why he does not write like somebody else, or a painter why he does not paint like somebody else, quite oblivious of the fact that if either of them did anything of the kind he would cease to be an artist. Oscar Wilde artist doe writing Most of our modern portrait painters are doomed to absolute oblivion. They never paint what they see. They paint what the public sees, and the public never sees anything. Oscar Wilde oblivion portraits pain It is through art, and through art only, that we can realise our perfection. Oscar Wilde perfectionist perfection art Life has been your art. You have set yourself to music. Your days are your sonnets. Oscar Wilde expression life art I hate people who are not serious about meals. It is so shallow of them. Oscar Wilde meals hate people The work of art is to dominate the spectator: the spectator is not to dominate the work of art. Oscar Wilde spectators art-is art Do you really think it is weakness that yields to temptation? I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to. Oscar Wilde motivational inspirational life Prayer must never be answered: if it is, it ceases to be prayer and becomes correspondence. Oscar Wilde correspondence ifs prayer I don't want to earn a living. I want to live. Oscar Wilde want
