A perfect saint amongst women, but so dreadfully dowdy that she reminded one of a badly bound hymn-book.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 3. Shakespeare wasn’t the only master of the cutting insult. Wilde had a genius for the insulting quote too, like this one from the mouth of Lord Henry. And of course it is about a woman – Henry’s favorite gender for verbal target practice – he ia describing one of his Aunt Agatha’s oldest friends.