--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Beauty is the only thing that time cannot…" description: "\"Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a joy for all sea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/oscar-wilde-16_beautiful_beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-canno_15994.jpg" --- # Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm… ![“Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a joy for all seasons, a possession for all eternity.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/oscar-wilde-16_beautiful_beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-canno_15994.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/oscar-wilde-16_beautiful_beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-canno_15994.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f9/oscar-wilde-16_beautiful_beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-canno_15994.jpg) > “Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a joy for all seasons, a possession for all eternity.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Beauty endures beyond temporal decay, offering a timeless source of joy that outlasts fleeting philosophies and doctrines. **In simple terms:** Timeless joy in beauty Key Takeaway Beauty transcends time Themes eternity philosophy joy beauty transience Mood contemplative hopeful Type aphorism philosophical statement When to use this quote - art criticism - personal reflection - cultural analysis Key Concepts aesthetic value spiritual solace Practical Applications - inspiring enduring design - guiding timeless storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How does beauty provide stability amid changing ideas? - Can beauty be a universal constant? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Philosophies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophies/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, and creeds follow one another like the withered leaves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“What is beautiful is a joy for all seasons and a possession for all eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/what-is-beautiful-is-a-joy-for-all-seasons-and-a-possession-for-all/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Christ is the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight of the Father. What solace then must that soul be filled with,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/christ-is-the-desire-of-nations-the-joy-of-angels-the-delight-of-the-2/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“Christ is the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight of the Father. What solace then must that soul be filled with,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/christ-is-the-desire-of-nations-the-joy-of-angels-the-delight-of-the/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [BEAUTY: The one thing that draws you towards her. The thing she cannot see herself, without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beauty-the-one-thing-that-draws-you-towards-her-the-thing-she-cannot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate that aesthetic game of the eye and the mind, played by these connoisseurs, these mandarins who "appreciate" beauty. What is beauty, anyway?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/i-hate-that-aesthetic-game-of-the-eye-and-the-mind-played-by-these/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I realized that beauty was not a thing that I could acquire or consume, it was something that I just had to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/i-realized-that-beauty-was-not-a-thing-that-i-could-acquire-or/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [“Finally, I say, “long dark hair, blue-violet eyes, slender, tall, she had a Liz Taylor in Black Beauty thing going on.” Reluctance sets in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-owen/finally-i-say-long-dark-hair-blue-violet-eyes-slender-tall-she-had-a/) [Katherine Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-owen/) > [This whole beauty thing is something I've never comprehended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/this-whole-beauty-thing-is-something-i-ve-never-comprehended/) [Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/) > [You can't get away from fashion. The whole beauty thing is everywhere. It's just really weird.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juergen-teller/you-can-t-get-away-from-fashion-the-whole-beauty-thing-is-everywhere/) [Juergen Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juergen-teller/) > [She had gained a reputation for beauty, and (which is often another thing) was beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/she-had-gained-a-reputation-for-beauty-and-which-is-often-another/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junichiro-tanizaki/find-beauty-not-only-in-the-thing-itself-but-in-the-pattern-of-the/) [Junichiro Tanizaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junichiro-tanizaki/) > [You are Christians; find out what is true and false in Christianity - and you will then find out what is true. Find out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/you-are-christians-find-out-what-is-true-and-false-in-christianity/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [One of the great problems of philosophy, is the relationship between the realm of knowledge and the realm of values. Knowledge is what is;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/one-of-the-great-problems-of-philosophy-is-the-relationship-between/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“But Venice, like Oxford, had kept the background for romance, and, to the true romantic, background was everything, or almost everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/but-venice-like-oxford-had-kept-the-background-for-romance-and-to-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. 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Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) Tumblr > [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. 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