Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

THE PREFACE

The artist is the creator (the maker) of beautiful things. To reveal (to make known) art and conceal (to hide) the artist is art’s aim. The critic (a judge of quality) is he who can translate (to turn into another language) into another manner or a new material his impression (a mark on the mind) of beautiful things.

The highest as the lowest form of criticism (fault-finding judgment) is a mode of autobiography (the story of one's own life). Those who find ugly (not pleasing to see) meanings in beautiful things are corrupt (rotten with bribery; to spoil) without being charming (delightful; Prince Charming: the ideal lover). This is a fault.

Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated (to till the soil; to nurture). For these there is hope. They are the elect (the chosen few) to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.

There is no such thing as a moral (of right and wrong; the lesson) or an immoral (against right conduct) book. Books are well written, or badly (in a bad way) written. That is all.

The nineteenth (the 19th) century dislike (not to like) of realism (closeness to real life) is the rage (violent anger) of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.

The nineteenth (the 19th) century dislike (not to like) of romanticism (the taste for feeling and wonder over reason) is the rage (violent anger) of Caliban not seeing his own face in a glass. The moral (of right and wrong; the lesson) life of man forms part of the subject-matter (the thing dealt with) of the artist, but the morality (right conduct) of art consists (to be made of) in the perfect use (use: habit; custom — the old sense here) of an imperfect (not perfect) medium. No artist desires to prove anything. Even things that are true can be proved. No artist has ethical (of right and wrong) sympathies (fellow-feeling). An ethical (of right and wrong) sympathy (fellow-feeling) in an artist is an unpardonable (not to be forgiven) mannerism (a marked trick of style) of style. No artist is ever morbid (sickly gloomy). The artist can express everything. Thought and language are to the artist instruments (a tool; a music maker) of an art. Vice and virtue (goodness; a good power) are to the artist materials for an art. From the point of view of form, the type of all the arts is the art of the musician (a maker of music). From the point of view of feeling, the actor’s craft (a skilled trade; cunning) is the type. All art is at once surface and symbol (a sign standing for something). Those who go beneath (under) the surface do so at their peril (danger). Those who read the symbol (a sign standing for something) do so at their peril (danger). It is the spectator (one who looks on), and not life, that art really mirrors (the reflecting glass). Diversity (variety) of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital (of life; essential). When critics (a judge of quality) disagree (to differ), the artist is in accord (agreement; of one's own accord: freely) with himself. We can forgive (to pardon) a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire (to look on with wonder) it. The only excuse for making a useless (of no use) thing is that one admires (to look on with wonder) it intensely (strongly).

All art is quite useless (of no use).

OSCAR WILDE