Oscar WildeThe English novels are the only relaxation of the intellectually unemployed. But one should not be too severe on them. They show a want of knowledge that must be the result of years of study.
About This Quote
The English novels are the only relaxation of the intellectually unemployed. But one should not be too severe on them. They show a want of knowledge that must be the result of years of study. A person who is ignorant or not well-read can find great amusement in reading novels.
In this respect, the novel is very much like a good play. A good play gives as many as possible as many as possible as many as possible as many as possible as many as possible as many as possible as many as possible as many people pleasure and enjoyment at once. A good play may have a thousand characters, but only ten lines for each character, and those ten lines must express all that can be expressed by a single character in a single scene.
Each of those thousand characters will have his own speech and gestures, and will move about with a nameless but purposeful activity. The most important thing about a good play is to have something happen among them all, so that they all do something or try to do something at once. Each is trying to talk with somebody else, is trying to kiss somebody else, is trying to hit somebody else, is trying to get away from somebody else; but all these other people are trying to do the same things to him; and if you look at them closely enough you will discover that these other people are also talking to each other, trying to kiss each other, trying to hit each other; and thus you will come at last upon several groups of these people who are holding conversations with each other across the stage; and finally you will find out that they are all deaf-and-dumb mutes, who cannot hear each other speak because they cannot see each other's lips move; nor can they see each other's facial movements because they cannot hear each other's voices.
And yet they can communicate with great intelligence by writing notes on pieces of paper which they hold up in front of their faces so that nobody else can read them until they have finished reading one another's notes. This sort of thing is called theatre, and it is very amusing if you don't think about it too much.
Some Similar Quotes
- A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.
- The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends.
- Ur be the things I am wiser to know: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe. Four be the things I'd been better without: Love, curiosity, freckles, and doubt. Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne. Three be the...
- The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God's eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love.
- Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking the truth.]