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I gave my genius to my life, but my talent to my art.

Oscar Wilde

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Oscar Wilde
Age: 46 †
Born: 1854
Born: October 16
Died: 1900
Died: November 30
Author
Essayist
Journalist
Novelist
Opinion Journalist
Playwright
Poet
Prosaist
Short Story Writer
Writer
Dublin city
Oscar O'Flahertie Wills Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde
Genius
Talent
Art
Life
Gave

More quotes by Oscar Wilde

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Oh, don't cough, Ernest. When one is dictating one should speak fluently and not cough. Besides, I don't know how to spell a cough.
Oscar Wilde
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Dear little Swallow,’ said the Prince, ‘you tell me of marvelous things, but more marvelous than anything is the suffering of men and of women. There is no Mystery so great as Misery.
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Ones real life is often the life that one does not lead.
Oscar Wilde
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I envy you going to Oxford: it is the most flower-like time of one's life. One sees the shadow of things in silver mirrors. Later on, one sees the Gorgon's head, and one suffers, because it does not turn one to stone.
Oscar Wilde
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The value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it. Indeed, the probabilities are that the more insincere the man is, the more purely intellectual will the idea be, as in that case it will not be coloured by either his wants, his desires, or his prejudices.
Oscar Wilde
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Faithfulness is to the emotional life what consistency is to the life of the intellect - simply a confession of failures.
Oscar Wilde
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In war, the strong make slaves of the weak, and in peace the rich makes slaves of the poor.
Oscar Wilde
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Imagination is imitative-the real innovation lies in criticism.
Oscar Wilde
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The burden of this world is too great for one man to bear, and the world’s sorrow too heavy for one heart to suffer.
Oscar Wilde
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It's tragic how few people ever 'possess their souls' before they die. 'Nothing is more rare in any man', says Emerson, 'than an act of his own.' It is quite true. Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their life is a mimicry, their passions a quotation.
Oscar Wilde
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Bad manners make a journalist.
Oscar Wilde
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Oscar Wilde was suing the Marquis of Queensbury in 1895 for libel accusing Wilde of homosexuality Counsel: Have you ever adored a young man madly? Wilde: I have never given adoration to anyone except myself.
Oscar Wilde
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Now art should never try to be popular. The public should try to make itself artistic.
Oscar Wilde
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We think that we are generous because we credit our neighbor with those virtues that are likely to benefit ourselves. We praise the banker that we may overdraw our account, and find good qualities in the highwayman in the hope that he may spare our pockets.
Oscar Wilde
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LORD ILLINGWORTH What do you think she'd do if I kissed her? MRS ALLONBY Either marry you, or strike you across the face with her glove. What would you do if she struck you across the face with her glove? LORD ILLINGWORTH Fall in love with her, probably.
Oscar Wilde
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The world is changed because you are made of ivory and gold. The curves of your lips rewrite history.
Oscar Wilde
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What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise [in the future. But only if we set out to make this true and anticipate it so we look for the blessings until we find them].
Oscar Wilde
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Only mediocrities progress. An artist revolves in a cycle of masterpieces, the first of which is no less perfect than the last.
Oscar Wilde
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I asked the question for the best reason possible, for the only reason, indeed, that excuses anyone for asking any question - simple curiosity.
Oscar Wilde
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Youth! There is nothing like youth. The middle-aged are mortgaged to Life. The old are in Life's lumber-room. But youth is the Lord of Life. Youth has a kingdom waiting for it. Every one is born a king, and most people die in exile.
Oscar Wilde