Oscar Wilde's 40 Brilliant Quotes

Oscar Wilde is undeniably one of the sharpest minds to have ever graced the British Isles, and perhaps the entire world. It's nearly impossible to find a piece of his writing that doesn't reveal a hint of his exceptional genius. Here is a collection of 40 of his most iconic quotes.

Quotes 1 – 10

1. A little honesty can be risky, but an abundance of it is utterly disastrous.

2. A man can find happiness with any woman, as long as he does not fall in love with her.

3. Always pardon your enemies; nothing frustrates them more.

4. America is the only nation that transitioned from savagery to excess without experiencing civilization in between.

5. Anyone who lives within their financial means lacks imagination.

6. Arguments should be avoided; they are always crass and often remarkably persuasive.

7. Biography adds a fresh dread to death.

8. Fashion is an unbearable form of ugliness that compels us to reinvent it every six months.

9. I am no longer young enough to know everything.

10. I believe that when God created Man, He somewhat overestimated his capabilities.

11. I spent the entire morning working on the proof of one of my poems, removing a comma. In the afternoon, I decided to put it back.

12. Illusion is the very essence of pleasure.

13. It's rather unfortunate that in today's world, there is so little pointless knowledge.

14. Modern calendars disrupt the serene flow of our lives by constantly reminding us that every passing day marks the anniversary of some rather trivial event.

15. One should always play by the rules when holding the winning hand.

16. Patriotism is merely the virtue found in the most corrupt of individuals.

17. Selfishness isn’t living the way you want to; it’s demanding others live according to your own desires.

18. The only proper use for good advice is to share it with others, as it rarely serves any benefit to oneself.

19. There is nothing worse than being ignored; the only thing worse is not being talked about at all.

20. The true enigma of the world lies not in the unseen, but in what is right before our eyes.

21. To oppose the majority of the British public is often a sign of true sanity.

22. I always feel like I must be mistaken when people agree with me.

23. The only thing that keeps me going in life is the awareness of how inferior everyone else is, a sentiment I have long embraced.

24. I don’t play with precision—anyone can do that—but I play with deep expression. For me, sentiment is key in music. I reserve precision for life itself.

25. When the gods intend to punish us, they grant our wishes.

26. Labor is the affliction of those who indulge in drinking.

27. My own work always bores me to tears; I find other people's far more interesting.

28. I can resist anything except for temptation.

29. Life is far too significant to be discussed seriously.

30. Experience is simply the label we attach to our mistakes.

31. Scandal is gossip that is weighed down by a sense of morality.

32. Though we are all in the gutter, some of us are gazing at the stars.

33. What defines a cynic? Someone who understands the cost of everything but sees no real worth in anything.

34. Wicked acts, much like poisonous weeds, thrive in the suffocating air of a prison; only the goodness in man withers and fades in such a place.

35. Today, we share nearly everything with America—except, naturally, the language.

36. The public is remarkably forgiving; it will overlook almost anything, except for genius.

37. The truth is seldom pure, and never straightforward.

38. Thirty-five is a captivating age. London society is filled with women of the highest lineage who have, by their own choosing, stayed thirty-five for many years.

39. I value people more than principles, and I hold those who lack principles in even higher regard than anything else in the world.

40. Acting is something I adore. It's far more authentic than real life itself.

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