As one knows the poet by his fine music, so one can recognize the liar by his rich rhythmic utterance, and in neither case will the casual inspiration of the moment suffice. Here, as elsewhere, practice must precede perfection.
Art, like Nature, has her monsters, things of bestial shape and with hideous voices.
It is only the superficial qualities that last. Man’s deeper nature is soon found out.
Sympathy with joy intensifies the sum of sympathy in the world, sympathy with pain does not really diminish the amount of pain.
I adore political parties. They are the only place left to us where people don’t talk politics.
Most men and women are forced to perform parts for which they have no qualification.
Reforms in Russia are very tragic, but they always end in a farce.
The only thing that can console one for being poor is extravagance.
As yet, Bernard Shaw hasn’t become prominent enough to have any enemies, but none of his friends like him.
Sin is the only real colour element left in modern life.
I could never quite accustom myself to absinthe, but it suits my style so well.
Bore: a man who is never unintentionally rude.
The husbands of very beautiful women belong to the criminal classes.
London is full of women who trust their husbands. One can always recognize them. They look so thoroughly unhappy.
Nobody of any real culture, for instance, ever talks nowadays about the beauty of sunset. Sunsets are quite old fashioned. To admire them is a distinct sign of provincialism of temperament. Upon the other hand they go on.
Bad artists always admire each other’s work. They call it being large-minded and free from prejudice. But a truly great artist cannot conceive of life being shown, or beauty fashioned, under any conditions other than those he has selected.
Better the rule of One, whom all obey, than to let clamorous demagogues betray our freedom with the kiss of anarchy.
Marriage is the one subject on which all women agree and all men disagree.
I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments.
There is more to be said for stupidity than people imagine. Personally I have a great admiration for stupidity. It is a sort of fellow-feeling, I suppose.