Oscar Wilde questions

Posted by Fred on March 17, 2005

In Reply to: Oscar Wilde questions posted by Ruth Julius on March 17, 2005

: I was wondering about the specific meaning of two words which Oscar Wilde uses in his Preface to "The picture of Dorian Gray". One is "morbid", in the sentence: "No artist is ever morbid. The artist can express everything."

: The other is "all" in sentences like: "All art is at once surface and symbol" or "All art is quite useless". Do you think he means "all arts are." (every art is.) or perhaps ("art is always.")?

: Thanks a lot!

: Ruth

I think that 'Art is always ...' would be better. We say 'Courage is a virtue' and 'Snow is white,' but neither 'All courage is ...' nor 'All snow is ...'.