W. Somerset Maugham
W. Somerset Maugham
William Somerset Maugham CHwas a British playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest paid author during the 1930s...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPlaywright
Date of Birth25 January 1874
rain unjust
The rain fell alike upon the just and upon the unjust, and for nothing was there a why and a wherefore.
women sacrifice opportunity
A woman will always sacrifice herself if you give her the opportunity. It is her favourite form of self indulgence.
heart love-is thinking
The tragedy of love is not death or separation. How long do you think it would have been before one or other of them ceased to care? Oh, it is dreadfully bitter to look at a woman whom you have loved with all your heart and soul, so that you felt you could not bear to let her out of your sight, and realize that you would not mind if you never saw her again. The tragedy of love is indifference.
men light air
The officers saluted as she passed and gravely bowed. They walked back across the courtyard and got into their chairs. She saw Waddington light a cigarette. A little smoke lost in the air, that was the life of a man.
artist soul produce
The artist produces for the liberation of his soul.
failure character men
Failure make people bitter and cruel. Success improves the character of the man.
use want ethics
In the conduct of life we make use of deliberation to justify ourselves in doing what we want to do.
beautiful writing want
We do not write as we want, but as we can.
jobs hypocrite men
Hypocrisy is the most difficult and nerve-racking vice that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance and a rare detachment of spirit. It cannot, like adultery or gluttony, be practiced at spare moments; it is a whole-time job.
greatness men pieces
The great man is too often all of a piece; it is the little man that is a bundle of contradictory elements. He is inexhaustible. You never come to the end of the surprises he has in store for you.
brain sublime consciousness
The highest activities of consciousness have their origins in physical occurrences of the brain, just as the loveliest melodies are not too sublime to be expressed by notes.
maturity perfect age
For the complete life, the perfect pattern includes old age as well as youth and maturity.
beauty beautiful novelty
We find things beautiful because we recognize them and contrariwise we find things beautiful because their novelty surprises us.
book reading people
I never met an author who admitted that people did not buy his book because it was dull.