Remembering Oscar Wilde

The indomitable Oscar Wilde comes to mind time and again as I fathom what thought is. Here is the quote that got me fathoming:
"All thought is immoral. Its very essence is destruction. If you think of anything, you kill it. Nothing survives being thought of." It is from A Woman of No Importance.

Yikes, that is a confounding quote that I happened to memorize. When I find myself feeling sophisticated and owning a witty, authoritative thought I am gleeful until I recall Oscar, the greatest critic of all.

A few of his quotes are:

• Experience is the name we all give to our mistakes.


• Society often forgives the criminal, but it never forgives the dreamer.


• Democracy is simply the bludgeoning of the people. For the people. By the people.


• No man is ever rich enough to buy back his past.
  

He still interests many people as the lively humanist, cynic, playwright, and entertaining historical figure. I was gifted with Oscar Wilde the fine biography by Richard Ellmann. It is worth owning if you want to know the real Oscar.

Another favorite that I own is The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Stories, Plays, Poems & Essays. I didn't fathom how prolific and genius his work was until I started reading this wonderful anthology.


Long live Oscar Wilde! "The evolution of man is slow. The injustice of men is great."