A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure.
 Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). copy citation

add
Author Oscar Wilde
Source The Picture of Dorian Gray
Topic sorrow pleasure
Date 1890
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/174/174-h/174-h.htm

Context

“What is done is done. What is past is past." "You call yesterday the past?" "What has the actual lapse of time got to do with it? It is only shallow people who require years to get rid of an emotion. A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them." "Dorian, this is horrible! Something has changed you completely. You look exactly the same wonderful boy who, day after day, used to come down to my studio to sit for his picture.” source