Quotes from Oscar Wilde, 1891

In America the President reigns for four years, and Journalism governs for ever and ever.

In old days men had the rack. Now they have the press. That is an improvement certainly. But still it is very bad... Somebody — was it Burke? — called journalism the fourth estate. That was true at the time, no doubt. But at the present moment it really is the only estate. It has eaten up the other three... We are dominated by Journalism.

The fact is, that the public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing. Journalism, conscious of this, and having tradesmanlike habits, supplies their demands.

The Lords Temporal say nothing, the Lords Spiritual have nothing to say, and the House of Commons has nothing to say and says it.