Earnest Quotes - Page 3

• I feel an earnest and humble desire, and shall do till I die, to increase the stock of harmless cheerfulness.

  Charles Dickens

  Humble, Desire, Increase

  Charles Dickens (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Charles Dickens (Illustrated)”, p.14051, Delphi Classics

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• The old-fashioned respect for the young is fast dying out.

  Oscar Wilde

  Respect, Dying, Young

  Oscar Wilde (2014). “The Wit and Wisdom of Oscar Wilde”, p.65, Courier Corporation

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• What between the duties expected of one during one's lifetime, and the duties exacted from one after one's death, land has ceased to be either a profit or a pleasure. It gives one position, and prevents one from keeping it up. That's all that can be said about land.

  Oscar Wilde

  Home, Land, Giving

  Oscar Wilde (2016). “The Importance of Being Earnest: Revised Edition”, p.27, Bloomsbury Publishing

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• My dear Algy, you talk exactly as if you were a dentist. It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isn't a dentist. It produces false impression

  Oscar Wilde

  Importance Of Being Earnest, Dentist, Produce

  'The Importance of Being Earnest' (1895) act 1

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• I am not in favour of this modern mania for turning bad people into good people at a moment's notice.

  Oscar Wilde

  People, Favour, Importance Of Being Earnest

  Oscar Wilde (1984). “The Importance of Being Earnest”, p.33, Dramatic Publishing

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• Sir, this is a unique dog. He does not live by tooth or fang. He respects the right of cats to be cats although he doesn't admire them. He turns his steps rather than disturb an earnest caterpillar. His greatest fear is that someone will point out a rabbit and suggest that he chase it. This is a dog of peace and tranquility.

  John Steinbeck

  Friendship, Dog, Humor

  John Steinbeck (2007). “Travels with Charley and Later Novels, 1947-1962”

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• I see. So you playacted the role of a rake who was only pretending to be in earnest, knowing you would come across as though you had the lowest of motives, when in fact, you were sincere?” “Precisely.” She gave a short, wry laugh and shook her head at him. “Convoluted sir! You are a maze.” He shot her a sulky glance. “I thought you were going to say I was amazing.” “That, too,” she admitted with a rueful smile, capturing his square chin between her fingertips.

  Gaelen Foley

  Knowing, Wry Smile, Squares

  Gaelen Foley (2002). “Lord of Fire”, p.175, Ballantine Books

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• Satan is so much more in earnest than we are--he buys up the opportunity while we are wondering how much it will cost.

  Amy Carmichael

  Christian, Inspiration, Opportunity

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• It is awfully hard work doing nothing. However, I don't mind hard work when there is no definite object of any kind. To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing.

  Oscar Wilde

  Hard Work, Mind, Doing Nothing

  "The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: Novel, Short Stories, Poetry, Essays and Plays".

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• I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays.

  Oscar Wilde

  Clever, Sick, Nuisance

  Oscar Wilde (1997). “Collected Works of Oscar Wilde: The Plays, the Poems, the Stories and the Essays Including De Profundis”, p.680, Wordsworth Editions

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• I will be as harsh as truth and as uncompromising as justice.

  William Lloyd Garrison

  Truth, Justice, Retreat

  The Liberator, 1 Jan. 1831 (first issue)

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• When one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people. It is excessively boring.

  Oscar Wilde

  Country, People, Towns

  Oscar Wilde (2016). “The Importance of Being Earnest: Revised Edition”, p.7, Bloomsbury Publishing

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• The truth is rarely pure and never simple.

  Oscar Wilde

  Love, Inspirational, Positive

  The Importance of Being Earnest act 1 (1895)

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• All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his.

  Oscar Wilde

  Funny, Mothers Day, Mom

  The Importance of Being Earnest act 1 (1895). The same lines appear, as a dialogue between Lord Illingworth and Mrs. Allonby, in A Woman of No Importance, act 2 (1893).

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

  Oscar Wilde

  Funny, Husband, Men

  Oscar Wilde (2016). “The Importance of Being Earnest: Revised Edition”, p.26, Bloomsbury Publishing

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• To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.

  Oscar Wilde

  Funny, Family, Sarcastic

  The Importance of Being Earnest act 1 (1895)

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• More than half of modern culture depends upon what one shouldn't read.

  Oscar Wilde

  Culture, Half, Importance Of Being Earnest

  Oscar Wilde (1980). “Poems”

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• Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.

  Oscar Wilde

  People, Society, Importance Of Being Earnest

  Oscar Wilde (1984). “The Importance of Being Earnest”, p.65, Dramatic Publishing

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• In England ... education produces no effect whatsoever. If it did, it would prove a serious danger to the upper classes, and would probably lead to acts of violence in Grosvenor Square.

  Oscar Wilde

  Education, Squares, Class

  Oscar Wilde (1994). “The Importance of Being Earnest”, p.16, Heinemann

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• It is awfully hard work doing nothing.

  Oscar Wilde

  Hard Work, Doing Nothing, Importance Of Being Earnest

  Oscar Wilde (1899). “The Importance of Being Earnest”, p.46

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• Men who are in earnest are not afraid of consequences.

  Marcus Garvey

  Men, Words Of Wisdom, African American

  Marcus Garvey (2015). “Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey”, p.11, Ravenio Books

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• I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.

  Oscar Wilde

  Inspirational, Funny, Travel

  Oscar Wilde (2005). “The Importance of Being Earnest”, p.50, Prestwick House Inc

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• That is why, no matter how desperate the predicament is, I am always very much in earnest about clutching my cane, straightening my derby hat and fixing my tie, even though I have just landed on my head.

  Charlie Chaplin

  Ties, Matter, Fixing

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• Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth. Can you forgive me?

  Oscar Wilde

  Truth, Men, Forgive Me

  Oscar Wilde (1899). “The Importance of Being Earnest”, p.151

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• The modern sympathy with invalids is morbid. Illness of any kind is hardly a thing to be encouraged in others.

  Oscar Wilde

  Sympathy, Kindness, Health

  Oscar Wilde, Alyssa Harad (2005). “The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays”, p.17, Simon and Schuster

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