Who said “The youth of America is their oldest tradition. It has been going on now for three…”?

Verified

Oscar Wilde. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceA Woman of No Importance (1893), Lord Illingworth, Act I

Find A Woman of No Importance on Amazon · paid link

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z
“The youth of America is their oldest tradition. It has been going on now for three hundred years.”
— Oscar Wilde
VerifiedA Woman of No Importance (1893), Lord Illingworth, Act I · evidenceAmerica

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: A Woman of No Importance (1893), Lord Illingworth, Act I.

APA

Wilde, O. (n.d.). The youth of America is their oldest tradition. It has been going on now for three hundred years. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6350-the-youth-of-america-is-their-oldest-tradition/

MLA

Wilde, Oscar. “The youth of America is their oldest tradition. It has been going on now for three hundred years.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6350-the-youth-of-america-is-their-oldest-tradition/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Wilde, Oscar. “The youth of America is their oldest tradition. It has been going on now for three hundred years.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/6350-the-youth-of-america-is-their-oldest-tradition/.

Related quotes

More quotes by Oscar Wilde

All 417 Oscar Wilde quotes →