English reader · Project Gutenberg #174
The Preface
The Picture of Dorian Gray. English-only reading by default; you can also choose two-column reading in English and Chinese.
Chapter summary
Wilde states his aesthetic credo through paradoxes: art creates beauty rather than moral instruction, reflects the spectator, and proves its vitality by provoking disagreement. The Preface culminates in the claim that all art is quite useless.
Modern reader note
English
The artist is the creator of beautiful things. To reveal art and conceal the artist is art’s aim. The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.
The highest as the lowest form of criticism is a mode of autobiography. Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.
Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.
There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.
The nineteenth century dislike of realism is the rage of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.
The nineteenth century dislike of romanticism is the rage of Caliban not seeing his own face in a glass. The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium. No artist desires to prove anything. Even things that are true can be proved. No artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style. No artist is ever morbid. The artist can express everything. Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art. Vice and virtue 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. From the point of view of feeling, the actor’s craft is the type. All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital. When critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself. We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.
All art is quite useless.
OSCAR WILDE
中文
艺术家是美好事物的创造者。揭示艺术而隐藏艺术家，是艺术的目的。批评家能够把自己对美好事物的印象，转换成另一种形式或一种新的材料。
最高明与最低劣的批评，都是一种自传。凡从美好事物中看出丑恶含义的人，腐化而不迷人；这是一种过错。
凡从美好事物中看出美好含义的人，才是有修养的人。他们尚有希望。他们是被拣选者；对他们而言，美好事物只意味着美。
世上并没有所谓道德或不道德的书。书只有写得好与写得坏之分。仅此而已。
十九世纪对现实主义的厌恶，是卡利班在镜中看见自己面孔时的愤怒。
十九世纪对浪漫主义的厌恶，是卡利班在镜中看不见自己面孔时的愤怒。人的道德生活构成艺术家题材的一部分，但艺术的道德，在于完美地运用一种不完美的媒介。没有艺术家想要证明什么；即使真实之事，也可以被论证。没有艺术家抱持伦理上的偏爱；艺术家的伦理偏爱，是一种不可饶恕的风格做作。没有艺术家是病态的。艺术家可以表现一切。思想与语言，是艺术家的艺术工具；恶与德，是艺术家的艺术材料。从形式看，一切艺术以音乐家的艺术为典型；从感受看，则以演员的技艺为典型。一切艺术既是表面，也是象征。深入表面之下的人，要自担风险；解读象征的人，也要自担风险。艺术真正映照的是观看者，而不是人生。对一件艺术品意见纷纭，说明它新颖、复杂而富有生命力。批评家争执不休时，艺术家却与自己协调一致。一个人制造有用之物，只要他并不欣赏它，我们尚可原谅；制造无用之物的唯一理由，则是对它怀有强烈的欣赏。
一切艺术都全然无用。
奥斯卡·王尔德
English
The artist is the creator of beautiful things. To reveal art and conceal the artist is art’s aim. The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.
中文
艺术家是美好事物的创造者。揭示艺术而隐藏艺术家，是艺术的目的。批评家能够把自己对美好事物的印象，转换成另一种形式或一种新的材料。
English
The artist is the creator of beautiful things. To reveal art and conceal the artist is art’s aim. The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.
中文
艺术家是美好事物的创造者。揭示艺术而隐藏艺术家，是艺术的目的。批评家能够把自己对美好事物的印象，转换成另一种形式或一种新的材料。
English
The highest as the lowest form of criticism is a mode of autobiography. Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.
中文
最高明与最低劣的批评，都是一种自传。凡从美好事物中看出丑恶含义的人，腐化而不迷人；这是一种过错。
English
The highest as the lowest form of criticism is a mode of autobiography. Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault.
中文
最高明与最低劣的批评，都是一种自传。凡从美好事物中看出丑恶含义的人，腐化而不迷人；这是一种过错。
English
Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.
中文
凡从美好事物中看出美好含义的人，才是有修养的人。他们尚有希望。他们是被拣选者；对他们而言，美好事物只意味着美。
English
Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.
中文
凡从美好事物中看出美好含义的人，才是有修养的人。他们尚有希望。他们是被拣选者；对他们而言，美好事物只意味着美。
English
There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.
中文
世上并没有所谓道德或不道德的书。书只有写得好与写得坏之分。仅此而已。
English
There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.
中文
世上并没有所谓道德或不道德的书。书只有写得好与写得坏之分。仅此而已。
English
The nineteenth century dislike of realism is the rage of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.
中文
十九世纪对现实主义的厌恶，是卡利班在镜中看见自己面孔时的愤怒。
English
The nineteenth century dislike of realism is the rage of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass.
中文
十九世纪对现实主义的厌恶，是卡利班在镜中看见自己面孔时的愤怒。
English
The nineteenth century dislike of romanticism is the rage of Caliban not seeing his own face in a glass. The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium. No artist desires to prove anything. Even things that are true can be proved. No artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style. No artist is ever morbid. The artist can express everything. Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art. Vice and virtue 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. From the point of view of feeling, the actor’s craft is the type. All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital. When critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself. We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.
中文
十九世纪对浪漫主义的厌恶，是卡利班在镜中看不见自己面孔时的愤怒。人的道德生活构成艺术家题材的一部分，但艺术的道德，在于完美地运用一种不完美的媒介。没有艺术家想要证明什么；即使真实之事，也可以被论证。没有艺术家抱持伦理上的偏爱；艺术家的伦理偏爱，是一种不可饶恕的风格做作。没有艺术家是病态的。艺术家可以表现一切。思想与语言，是艺术家的艺术工具；恶与德，是艺术家的艺术材料。从形式看，一切艺术以音乐家的艺术为典型；从感受看，则以演员的技艺为典型。一切艺术既是表面，也是象征。深入表面之下的人，要自担风险；解读象征的人，也要自担风险。艺术真正映照的是观看者，而不是人生。对一件艺术品意见纷纭，说明它新颖、复杂而富有生命力。批评家争执不休时，艺术家却与自己协调一致。一个人制造有用之物，只要他并不欣赏它，我们尚可原谅；制造无用之物的唯一理由，则是对它怀有强烈的欣赏。
English
The nineteenth century dislike of romanticism is the rage of Caliban not seeing his own face in a glass. The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium. No artist desires to prove anything. Even things that are true can be proved. No artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style. No artist is ever morbid. The artist can express everything. Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art. Vice and virtue 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. From the point of view of feeling, the actor’s craft is the type. All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital. When critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself. We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.
中文
十九世纪对浪漫主义的厌恶，是卡利班在镜中看不见自己面孔时的愤怒。人的道德生活构成艺术家题材的一部分，但艺术的道德，在于完美地运用一种不完美的媒介。没有艺术家想要证明什么；即使真实之事，也可以被论证。没有艺术家抱持伦理上的偏爱；艺术家的伦理偏爱，是一种不可饶恕的风格做作。没有艺术家是病态的。艺术家可以表现一切。思想与语言，是艺术家的艺术工具；恶与德，是艺术家的艺术材料。从形式看，一切艺术以音乐家的艺术为典型；从感受看，则以演员的技艺为典型。一切艺术既是表面，也是象征。深入表面之下的人，要自担风险；解读象征的人，也要自担风险。艺术真正映照的是观看者，而不是人生。对一件艺术品意见纷纭，说明它新颖、复杂而富有生命力。批评家争执不休时，艺术家却与自己协调一致。一个人制造有用之物，只要他并不欣赏它，我们尚可原谅；制造无用之物的唯一理由，则是对它怀有强烈的欣赏。
English
All art is quite useless.
中文
一切艺术都全然无用。
English
All art is quite useless.
中文
一切艺术都全然无用。
English
OSCAR WILDE
中文
奥斯卡·王尔德
English
OSCAR WILDE
中文
奥斯卡·王尔德
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