Quotes By W. Somerset Maugham

It wasn't until late in life that I discovered how easy it is to say "I don't know."

Habits in writing as in life are only useful if they are broken as soon as they cease to be advantageous.

The artist produces for the liberation of his soul. It is his nature to create as it is the nature of water to run down the hill.

Marriage is a very good thing, but I think it's a mistake to make a habit out of it.

Any nation that thinks more of its ease and comfort than its freedom will soon lose its freedom; and the ironical thing about it is that it will lose its ease and comfort too.

When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character.

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.

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

It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one's dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent.

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

Money is the string with which a sardonic destiny directs the motions of its puppets.

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.

The love that lasts longest is the love that is never returned.

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.

The crown of literature is poetry.

A man marries to have a home, but also because he doesn't want to be bothered with sex and all that sort of thing.

Tradition is a guide and not a jailer.

It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.