Quotes By W. Somerset Maugham

Death is a very dull, dreary affair, and my advice to you is to have nothing whatsoever to do with it.

We learn resignation not by our own suffering, but by the suffering of others.

Impropriety is the soul of wit.

People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.

The world in general doesn't know what to make of originality; it is startled out of its comfortable habits of thought, and its first reaction is one of anger.

It was such a lovely day I thought it a pity to get up.

Sentimentality is the only sentiment that rubs you the wrong way.

The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic and self-complacent is erroneous; on the contrary it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant and kind.

It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.

You know what the critics are. If you tell the truth they only say you're cynical and it does an author no good to get a reputation for cynicism.

It's very hard to be a gentleman and a writer.

I'll give you my opinion of the human race in a nutshell... their heart's in the right place, but their head is a thoroughly inefficient organ.

Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether we also, in our day and generation, may not perform something worthy to be remembered.

You are not angry with people when you laugh at them. Humor teaches tolerance.

If you don't change your beliefs, your life will be like this forever. Is that good news?

I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation.

The world is quickly bored by the recital of misfortune, and willing avoids the sight of distress.

Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.

The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.

Old age is ready to undertake tasks that youth shirked because they would take too long.

There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

Men have an extraordinarily erroneous opinion of their position in nature; and the error is ineradicable.

We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue to love a changed person.

Tradition is a guide and not a jailer.

If you want to eat well in England, eat three breakfasts.

You can do anything in this world if you are prepared to take the consequences.

Tolerance is another word for indifference.

Only a mediocre person is always at his best.

Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one's mind.

Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul.