Always relevant quotations

Both are by Oscar Wilde. Chesterton was right to point out that Wilde wrote "two kinds of epigrams; the real epigram which he wrote to please his own wild intellect, and the sham epigram which he wrote to thrill ..."
The first quotation is an extravagantly phrased statement with a kernel of rather frightening truth, especially when one has to ask for something very important. The second is melancholy.

Lady Windermere's Fan (1892):

In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.

·         Mr. Dumby, Act III.

What a pity that in life we only get our lessons when they are of no use to us.

·         Lady Windermere, Act IV