Quotes By W. Somerset Maugham

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

It's no good trying to keep up old friendships. It's painful for both sides. The fact is, one grows out of people, and the only thing is to face it.

When you are young you take the kindness people show you as your right.

In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.

Money is like a sixth sense without which you cannot make a complete use of the other five.

There are two good things in life - freedom of thought and freedom of action.