Author: Oscar Wilde

Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.

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

When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy.

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

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

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

Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.

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

Expert: An ordinary man away from home giving advice.

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

The truth is rarely pure and never simple.

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

He would stab his best friend for the sake of writing an epigram on his tombstone.

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

Crying is the refuge of plain women, but the ruin of pretty ones.

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

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

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

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

Don’t tempt me, I can resist anything but temptation.

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

Fathers should neither be seen nor heard; that is the only proper basis for family life.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Family Fathers

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

Bigamy is having one wife too many; monogamy is the same.

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

He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.

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

A mutual misunderstanding.

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

My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either they go or I do.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Last words

If we men married the women we deserved, we should have a very bad time of it.

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

A bad temper, like Mr. Whistler’s paintings, should never be displayed in public.

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

There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.

(1854 – 1900) Irish dramatist, novelist & poet
Communication Death Speech

Football is all very well a good game for rough girls, but not for delicate boys.

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