--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is your best work, Basil, the best…" description: "\"“It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done,”\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/oscar-wilde-16_basil_it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thin_3131686.jpg" --- # It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever… ![“It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done,” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/oscar-wilde-16_basil_it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thin_3131686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/oscar-wilde-16_basil_it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thin_3131686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/oscar-wilde-16_basil_it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thin_3131686.jpg) > ““It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done,”” [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. Wilde praises Basil's work as the finest he has ever produced, highlighting exceptional quality. **In simple terms:** Basil's work is his best. Key Takeaway Recognize and celebrate top performance. Themes excellence recognition artistry Mood proud admiring Type complimentary celebratory When to use this quote - career milestones - artistic projects - public acknowledgment Key Concepts self‑esteem validation creative achievement Questions to Reflect On - What makes a work truly the best? - How do you acknowledge others' excellence? A Different Perspective May overlook teamwork or context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-thing/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“With an evening coat and a white tie, as you told me once, anybody, even a stock-broker, can gain a reputation for being civilized.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/with-an-evening-coat-and-a-white-tie-as-you-told-me-once-anybody-even-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Lord Henry stretched himself out on the divan and laughed. "Yes, I knew you would; but it is quite true, all the same." "Too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/lord-henry-stretched-himself-out-on-the-divan-and-laughed-yes-i-knew/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I have been right, Basil, haven’t I, to take my love out of poetry, and to find my wife in Shakespeare’s plays? Lips that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-have-been-right-basil-haven-t-i-to-take-my-love-out-of-poetry-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't argue with you. It is only the intellectually lost who ever argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-think-you-are-wrong-basil-but-i-won-t-argue-with-you-it-is-only-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“He is some brainless beautiful creature who should be always here in winter when we have no flowers to look at, and always here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-is-some-brainless-beautiful-creature-who-should-be-always-here-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil. Conscience is the trade-name of the firm. That is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/conscience-and-cowardice-are-really-the-same-things-basil-conscience/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The best work in literature is always done by those who do not depend on it for their daily bread and the highest form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-best-work-in-literature-is-always-done-by-those-who-do-not-depend-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The best work in literature is always done by those who do not depend upon it for their daily bread, and the highest form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-best-work-in-literature-is-always-done-by-those-who-do-not-depend/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Basil Fawlty was an easy character for me. For some reason, portraying a mean uptight incompetent bully comes naturally to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/basil-fawlty-was-an-easy-character-for-me-for-some-reason-portraying/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Basil Stag Hare tut-tutted severely as he remarked to Ambrose Spike, 'Tch, tch. Dreadful table manners. Just look at those three wallahs, kicking up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/basil-stag-hare-tut-tutted-severely-as-he-remarked-to-ambrose-spike/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [ Ernie Hayes, Jimmy Lewis, and either Belton Evans or Khalil Mahdi on drums \[were in Sweet Basil\]. All those guys really took care of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/ernie-hayes-jimmy-lewis-and-either-belton-evans-or-khalil-mahdi-on/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [When I was thinking about what we could do in terms of what production values of Broadway might be able to add to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-timbers/when-i-was-thinking-about-what-we-could-do-in-terms-of-what/) [Alex Timbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-timbers/) > [The scent organ was playing a delightfully refreshing Herbal Capriccio - rippling arpeggios of thyme and lavender, of rosemary, basil, myrtle, tarragon; a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-scent-organ-was-playing-a-delightfully-refreshing-herbal/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [ Illy \[Ray Illingworth\] had the man-management skills of Basil Fawlty ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-gough/illy-ray-illingworth-had-the-man-management-skills-of-basil-fawlty/) Darren Gough > [If you've got a plot the size of a car or a tiny yard in Italy, you're going to be growing tomatoes and basil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mayes/if-you-ve-got-a-plot-the-size-of-a-car-or-a-tiny-yard-in-italy-you-re/) [Frances Mayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mayes/) ## 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 Basil quotes > [If you've got a plot the size of a car or a tiny yard in Italy, you're going to be growing tomatoes and basil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mayes/if-you-ve-got-a-plot-the-size-of-a-car-or-a-tiny-yard-in-italy-you-re/) [Frances Mayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mayes/) > [ Illy \[Ray Illingworth\] had the man-management skills of Basil Fawlty ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-gough/illy-ray-illingworth-had-the-man-management-skills-of-basil-fawlty/) Darren Gough > [The scent organ was playing a delightfully refreshing Herbal Capriccio - rippling arpeggios of thyme and lavender, of rosemary, basil, myrtle, tarragon; a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-scent-organ-was-playing-a-delightfully-refreshing-herbal/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't argue with you. It is only the intellectually lost who ever argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-think-you-are-wrong-basil-but-i-won-t-argue-with-you-it-is-only-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“He is some brainless beautiful creature who should be always here in winter when we have no flowers to look at, and always here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-is-some-brainless-beautiful-creature-who-should-be-always-here-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [When I was thinking about what we could do in terms of what production values of Broadway might be able to add to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-timbers/when-i-was-thinking-about-what-we-could-do-in-terms-of-what/) [Alex Timbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-timbers/) > [ Ernie Hayes, Jimmy Lewis, and either Belton Evans or Khalil Mahdi on drums \[were in Sweet Basil\]. All those guys really took care of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/ernie-hayes-jimmy-lewis-and-either-belton-evans-or-khalil-mahdi-on/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Basil Stag Hare tut-tutted severely as he remarked to Ambrose Spike, 'Tch, tch. Dreadful table manners. Just look at those three wallahs, kicking up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/basil-stag-hare-tut-tutted-severely-as-he-remarked-to-ambrose-spike/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil. Conscience is the trade-name of the firm. That is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/conscience-and-cowardice-are-really-the-same-things-basil-conscience/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Basil Fawlty was an easy character for me. For some reason, portraying a mean uptight incompetent bully comes naturally to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/basil-fawlty-was-an-easy-character-for-me-for-some-reason-portraying/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I was also sitting in from the middle of senior year of high school at Sweet Basil, it was a great club in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-was-also-sitting-in-from-the-middle-of-senior-year-of-high-school/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [“Forgiveness is a lot like basil, it's so strong that you only need a little to change the whole recipe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-e-wrightmoor/forgiveness-is-a-lot-like-basil-it-s-so-strong-that-you-only-need-a/) Will E. Wrightmoor > [“He once called her his basil plant; and when she asked for an explanation, said that basil was a plant which had flourished wonderfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/he-once-called-her-his-basil-plant-and-when-she-asked-for-an/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Basil flushed and made a poor pass. He had been called by a nickname. It was a poor makeshift, but it was something more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/basil-flushed-and-made-a-poor-pass-he-had-been-called-by-a-nickname/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [That's definitely true! It was before my father died, so I can't attribute it to an obsession with death. When I was seven, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/that-s-definitely-true-it-was-before-my-father-died-so-i-can-t/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) Browse all 44 Basil quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thing-you-have-ever-done/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thing-you-have-ever-done/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/oscar-wilde-16_basil_it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thin_3131686.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/oscar-wilde-16_basil_it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thin_3131686.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c9b/oscar-wilde-16_basil_it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thin_3131686.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done,” — Oscar Wilde", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is your best work, Basil,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thing-you-have-ever-done/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thing-you-have-ever-done/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```