Quotes About Wealth

Unless one is wealthy there is no use in being a charming fellow. Romance is the priviledge of the rich, not the profession of the unemployed. The poor shall be practical and prosaic. It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.

beautiful sins, like beautiful things, are the privilege of the rich

Every man of ambition has to fight his century with its own weapons. What this century worships is wealth. The God of this century is wealth. To succeed one must have wealth. At all costs one must have wealth.

LORD ILLINGWORTH. As George Harford I had everything I wanted. Now I have merely everything that other people want, which isn't nearly so pleasant.

For the recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses.  It has led Individualism entirely astray.  It has made gain not growth its aim.  So that man thought that the important thing was to have, and did not know that the important thing is to be.  The true perfection of man lies, not in what man has, but in what man is.

Once in New York, you are sure to be a great success. I know lots of people there who would give a hundred thousand dollars to have a grandfather, and much more than that to have a family ghost.

LADY BRACKNELL I had some crumpets with Lady Harbury, who seems to me to be living entirely for pleasure now. ALGERNON I hear her hair has turned quite gold from grief.

It is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institution of private property. 

For the recognition of private property has really harmed Individualism, and obscured it, by confusing a man with what he possesses.

When they make up their ledger, they balance stupidity by wealth, and vice by hypocrisy.

By the way, Dorian, he (Lord Henry) said, after a pause, what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose - how does the quotation run? - his own soul?

Yes, we are overcharged for everything nowadays. I should fancy that the real tragedy of the poor is that they can afford nothing but self-denial. Beautiful sins, like beautiful things, are the privilege of the rich.

Your rank and wealth, Harry; my brains, such as they are—my art, whatever it may be worth; Dorian Gray's good looks—we shall all suffer for what the gods have given us, suffer terribly.

You have never been poor, and never known what ambition is. Wealth has given me enormous power. It gave me at the very outset of my life freedom, and freedom is everything.

In war,' answered the weaver, 'the strong make slaves of the weak, and in peace the rich make slaves of the poor. 

Credit is a young man's capital.

They are more cunning than practical. When they make up their ledger, they balance stupidity by wealth, and vice by hypocrisy.

The rich would have spoken on the value of thrift and the idle grown eloquent over the dignity of labour.

Además, olvida usted, señor Otis, que el precio que pagó incluía tanto el castillo como el fantasma...

I am covered with fine gold, said the Prince, you must take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it to my poor.

Im Krieg machen die Starken die Schwachen zu Sklaven, im Frieden machen die Reichen die Armen zu Sklaven.

Humph! tell your Aunt Agatha, Harry, not to bother me any more with her charity appeals. I am sick of them. Why, the good woman thinks that I have nothing to do but to write cheques for her silly fads." "All right, Uncle George, I'll tell her, but it won't have any effect. Philanthropic people lose all sense of humanity. It is their distinguishing characteristic.

Alas, I'm dying beyond my means

Robert, how could you have sold yourself for money? I did not sell myself for money. I bought success at a great price. That is all.