--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tought how tragic it would be if you…" description: "\"“I tought how tragic it would be if you were wasted. For there is such a little time that your youth will last - such a little time. The common hill-fl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/oscar-wilde-16_classics_i-tought-how-tragic-it-would-be-if-you-w_362676.jpg" --- # I tought how tragic it would be if you were wasted. For… ![“I tought how tragic it would be if you were wasted. For there is such a little time that your youth will last - such a little time. The common hill-flowers wither, but they blossom again. The laburnum will be as yellow next June as it is now. In a month there will be purple stars on the clematis…” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/oscar-wilde-16_classics_i-tought-how-tragic-it-would-be-if-you-w_362676.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/oscar-wilde-16_classics_i-tought-how-tragic-it-would-be-if-you-w_362676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/oscar-wilde-16_classics_i-tought-how-tragic-it-would-be-if-you-w_362676.jpg) > ““I tought how tragic it would be if you were wasted. For there is such a little time that your youth will last - such a little time. The common hill-flowers wither, but they blossom again. The laburnum will be as yellow next June as it is now. In a month there will be purple stars on the clematis, and year after year the green night of its leaves will hold its purple stars. But we never get back our youth. The pulse of joy that beats in us at twenty becomes sluggish. Our limbs fail, our senses rot. We degenerate into hideous puppets, haunted by the memory of the passions of which we were too much afraid, and the exquisite temptations that we had not the courage to yield to. Youth! Youth! There is absolutely nothing in the world but youth.”” [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. Youth is fleeting; its loss brings regret, urging us to seize joy before decay. **In simple terms:** Youth passes quickly; cherish it now. Key Takeaway Live passionately before time erodes you. Themes youth regret impermanence Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - relationships - creative pursuits - health decisions Key Concepts Existentialism nostalgia Questions to Reflect On - What would you pursue if fear vanished? - How can you honor past passions today? A Different Perspective Youth is not the only source of meaning; wisdom also matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Classics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classics/) [Dorian-gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dorian-gray-2/) [Little time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-time/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [because to influence a person is to give one's own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/because-to-influence-a-person-is-to-give-one-s-own-soul/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Te voy a enseñar mi alma, vas a ver lo que creías que sólo Dios puede ver.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/te-voy-a-ense-ar-mi-alma-vas-a-ver-lo-que-cre-as-que-s-lo-dios-puede/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Viven la poesía que no consigue escribir. Los otros, escriben la poesía que no se atreven a realizar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/viven-la-poes-a-que-no-consigue-escribir-los-otros-escriben-la-poes-a/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [There was so much in you that charmed me that I felt I must tell you something about yourself. I thought how tragic it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/there-was-so-much-in-you-that-charmed-me-that-i-felt-i-must-tell-you/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“You look ill,” Matthew observed. “Is it my dancing? Is it me personally?” “Perhaps I’m nervous,” she said. “Lucie did say you didn’t like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-look-ill-matthew-observed-is-it-my-dancing-is-it-me-personally/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Nothing that happens to a writer--however happy, however tragic--is ever wasted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james-2/nothing-that-happens-to-a-writer-however-happy-however-tragic-is-ever/) [P.D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james-2/) > [“Why didn't you tell me that the only thing worth loving is an actress?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-didn-t-you-tell-me-that-the-only-thing-worth-loving-is-an-actress/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“You know we poor artists have to show ourselves in society from time to time, just to remind the public that we are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/you-know-we-poor-artists-have-to-show-ourselves-in-society-from-time/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“It is quite true that I have worshipped you with far more romance of feeling than a man usually gives to a friend. Somehow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-quite-true-that-i-have-worshipped-you-with-far-more-romance-of/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yeild to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-only-way-to-get-rid-of-temptation-is-to-yeild-to-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I turned halfway round, and saw Dorian Gray for the first time. When our eyes met, I felt that I was growing pale. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-turned-halfway-round-and-saw-dorian-gray-for-the-first-time-when/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Come, I tell you. You have chattered enough about corruption. Now you shall look on it face to face!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/come-i-tell-you-you-have-chattered-enough-about-corruption-now-you/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“He watched it with that strange interest in trivial things that we try to develop when things of high import make us afriad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-watched-it-with-that-strange-interest-in-trivial-things-that-we/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Never marry at all, Dorian. Men marry because they are tired, women, because they are curious: both are disappointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/never-marry-at-all-dorian-men-marry-because-they-are-tired-women/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## 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/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Classics quotes > [I was interested in all kinds of things, whether it be Avatar, Mad Men, Troy, 300, Battlestar Gallactica, or the poems of Horace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/i-was-interested-in-all-kinds-of-things-whether-it-be-avatar-mad-men/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) > [“So it is that in our world hopes are thwarted at every turn and the people's lot is always pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royall-tyler/so-it-is-that-in-our-world-hopes-are-thwarted-at-every-turn-and-the/) Royall Tyler > [It's so important your customer can rely on you for your classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-wren-scott/it-s-so-important-your-customer-can-rely-on-you-for-your-classics/) [L'Wren Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-wren-scott/) > [Professors of classics - not even a professor of English - professors of classics, they're something sacred; it's almost like being a priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-segal/professors-of-classics-not-even-a-professor-of-english-professors-of/) [Erich Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-segal/) > [“You don't know what your life is, nor what you're doing, nor who you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/you-don-t-know-what-your-life-is-nor-what-you-re-doing-nor-who-you-are/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I like a lot of movies. I like all types of genres. I like the classics - comedy, action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-green/i-like-a-lot-of-movies-i-like-all-types-of-genres-i-like-the-classics/) [Danny Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-green/) > [“Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an uncomfortable twinge. Was there, here, something that he had missed? Some richness of the spirit? Sadness crept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doubt-an-uncomfortable-twinge-was/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“A classic is read not to enjoy but only to be boast about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aman-jassal/a-classic-is-read-not-to-enjoy-but-only-to-be-boast-about-it/) [Aman Jassal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aman-jassal/) > [“Betsy was so full of joy that she had to be alone. She went upstairs to her bedroom and sat down on Uncle Keith's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-hart-lovelace/betsy-was-so-full-of-joy-that-she-had-to-be-alone-she-went-upstairs/) [Maud Hart Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maud-hart-lovelace/) > [“You are too generous to trifle with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/you-are-too-generous-to-trifle-with-me/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Don't play with others, or at one day, you will be played by others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usama-ejaz/don-t-play-with-others-or-at-one-day-you-will-be-played-by-others/) Usama Ejaz > [“Sin is the only real colour-element left in modern life.' 'You really must not say things like that before Dorian, Harry.' 'Before which Dorian?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/sin-is-the-only-real-colour-element-left-in-modern-life-you-really/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“They always looked back before turning the corner, for their mother was always at the window to nod and smile, and wave her hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/they-always-looked-back-before-turning-the-corner-for-their-mother/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I can trace my interest in modern classics to the summer before art college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-healey/i-can-trace-my-interest-in-modern-classics-to-the-summer-before-art/) [Emma Healey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-healey/) > [“Those who have not learned to read the ancient classics in the language in which they were written must have a very imperfect knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/those-who-have-not-learned-to-read-the-ancient-classics-in-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 314 Classics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I tought how tragic it would be if you were wasted. 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