A community is infinitely more brutalised by the habitual employment of punishment than it is by the occasional occurence of crime.

The one person who has more illusions than the dreamer is the man of action.

What a fuss people make about fidelity!" exclaimed Lord Henry. "Why, even in love it is purely a question for physiology. It has nothing to do with our own will. Young men want to be faithful, and are not; old men want to be faithless, and cannot: that is all one can say.

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

Life is too short to be taken seriously.

The only thing worse than quoting me, is not quoting me

She has form," he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove - "that cannot be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style, without any sincerity. She would not sacrifice herself for others. She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that arts are selfish. Still, it must be admitted that she has some beautiful notes in her voice. What a pity it is that they do not mean anything, or do any practical good.