Oscar Wilde

In England, an inventor is regarded almost as a crazy man, and in too many instances, invention ends in disappointment and poverty. In America, an inventor is honoured, help is forthcoming, and the exercise of ingenuity, the application of science to the work of man, is there the shortest road to wealth.

Ambition is the last refuge of the failure.

One should always play fairly when one has the winning cards.

No man is rich enough to buy back his past.

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.

To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.

If there was less sympathy in the world, there would be less trouble in the world.

There should be a law that no ordinary newspaper should be allowed to write about art. The harm they do by their foolish and random writing it would be impossible to overestimate - not to the artist, but to the public, blinding them to all but harming the artist not at all.

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

The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius.

Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.

I have a dining room done in different shades of white, with white cushions embroidered in yellow silk: the effect is absolutely delightful and the room beautiful.