THE PREFACE
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proveanything.Eventhingsthataretruecanbeproved.Noartisthasethicalsympathies.Anethicalsympathyinanartistisanunpardonablemannerismofstyle.Noartistisevermorbid.Theartistcanexpresseverything.Thoughtandlanguagearetotheartistinstrumentsofanart.Viceandvirtuearetotheartistmaterialsforanart.Fromthepointofviewofform,thetypeofalltheartsistheartofthemusician.Fromthepointofviewoffeeling,theactor’scraftisthetype.Allartisatoncesurfaceandsymbol.Thosewhogobeneaththesurfacedosoattheirperil.Thosewhoreadthesymboldosoattheirperil.Itisthespectator,andnotlife,thatartreallymirrors.Diversityofopinionaboutaworkofartshowsthattheworkisnew,complex,andvital.Whencriticsdisagree,theartistisinaccordwithhimself.Wecanforgiveamanformakingausefulthingaslongashedoesnotadmireit.Theonlyexcuseformakingauselessthingisthatoneadmiresitintensely.
Allartisquiteuseless.
OSCARWILDE
