Sayings Of Oscar Wilde (Duckworth Sayings Series) Edited By Henry Russell

“They reveal a mind and a man as fascinating as could be found anywhere in the annals of thinking and living. It takes a complete Wilde like this to show us how good the epigrams are.’
JOHN BAYLEY
All women become like their mothers; this is their tragedy. No man does; that is his. All bad art is the result of good intentions. To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. No gentleman takes exercise. Anybody can be good in the country. It is impossible to imagine the universe, someone said, without Wilde’s epigrams. Their secret is that they can be at once true and false. As we absorb the paradox, our view of life is extended and enlarged. Here, in small compass, is a collection of more than 400 of Wilde’s best sayings, culled from his plays and other writings. Wilde’s wit is never ponderous or pretentious. Like Falstaff, Wilde is not only gay himself but the inspiration of gaiety in others. Cover illustration National Portrait Gallery