The Importance of Being Earnest Quotes

“it is absurd to have a hard and fast rule about what one should read and what one shouldn't. More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn't read.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:reading

“I suppose a man may eat his own muffins in his own garden.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:man

“I have always been of opinion that a man who desires to get married should know either everything or nothing.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:marriage

“The amount of women in London who flirt with their own husbands is perfectly scandalous. It looks so bad. It is simply washing one's clean linen in public.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:marriage

“Memory . . . is the diary that we all carry about with us.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:memory

“Of course the music is a great difficulty. You see, if one plays good music, people don't listen, and if one plays bad music people don't talk.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:musictalkinglistening

“Really, if the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them?”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:poverty

“Hesitation of any kind is a sign of mental decay in the young, of physical weakness in the old.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:ageweakness

“I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays. You can't go anywhere without meeting clever people. The thing has become an absolute public nuisance. I wish to goodness we had a few fools left.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:foolishness

“This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

topic:pleasure