Art has no influence upon action. It annihilates the desire to act. It is superbly sterile. The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. That is all.

Art has no influence upon action. It annihilates the desire to act. It is superbly sterile. The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. That is all.

Oscar Wilde · The Picture of Dorian Gray

Well, the way of paradoxes is the way of truth. To test Reality we must see it on the tight rope. When the Verities become acrobats, we can judge them.

Oscar Wilde · The Picture of Dorian Gray

I admit that I think that it is better to be beautiful than to be good. But on the other hand, no one is more ready than I am to acknowledge that it is better to be good than to be ugly.

Oscar Wilde · The Picture of Dorian Gray

Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.

Oscar Wilde · The Picture of Dorian Gray

There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.

Oscar Wilde · The Picture of Dorian Gray