W. Somerset Maugham Quotes: 36

• 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.

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

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

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

• Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.

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

• Impropriety is the soul of wit.

• To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life.

  Books and You

• The great tragedy of life is not that men perish, but that they cease to love.

• How can I be reasonable? To me our love was everything and you were my whole life. It is not very pleasant to realize that to you it was only an episode.

  The Painted Veil

• As lovers, the difference between men and women is that women can love all day long, but men only at times.

  The Moon and Sixpence

• He did not care if she was heartless, vicious and vulgar, stupid and grasping, he loved her. He would rather have misery with one than happiness with the other.

  Of Human Bondage

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

• If a man hasn't what's necessary to make a woman love him, it's his fault, not hers.

  The Painted Veil

• The only important thing in a book is the meaning that it has for you.

• Oh, it's always the same,' she sighed, 'if you want men to behave well to you, you must be beastly to them; if you treat them decently they make you suffer for it.

  Of Human Bondage

• I have an idea that the only thing which makes it possible to regard this world we live in without disgust is the beauty which now and then men create out of the chaos. The pictures they paint, the music they compose, the books they write, and the lives they lead. Of all these the richest in beauty is the beautiful life. That is the perfect work of art.

  The Painted Veil

• One can be very much in love with a woman without wishing to spend the rest of one's life with her.

  The Painted Veil

• Some of us look for the Way in opium and some in God, some of us in whiskey and some in love. It is all the same Way and it leads nowhither.

  The Painted Veil

• Only a mediocre person is always at his best.

• Insensibly he formed the most delightful habit in the world, the habit of reading: he did not know that thus he was providing himself with a refuge from all the distress of life; he did not know either that he was creating for himself an unreal world which would make the real world of every day a source of bitter disappointment.

  Of Human Bondage

• Was it necessary to tell me that you wanted nothing in the world but me?'The corners of his mouth drooped peevishly.Oh, my dear, it's rather hard to take quite literally the things a man says when he's in love with you.'Didn't you mean them?'At the moment.

  The Painted Veil

• What d'you suppose I care if I'm a gentleman or not? If I were a gentleman I shouldn't waste my time with a vulgar slut like you.

  Of Human Bondage

• 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.

• Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it. If change is of the essence of existence one would have thought it only sensible to make it the premise of our philosophy.

  The Razor's Edge

• I know that I shall die struggling for breath, and I know that I shall be horribly afraid. I know that I shall not be able to keep myself from regretting bitterly the life that has brought me to such a pass; but I disown that regret. I now, weak, old, diseased, poor, dying, hold still my soul in my hands, and I regret nothing.

  Of Human Bondage

• We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.

• Never pause unless you have a reason for it, but when you pause, pause as long as you can.

  Theatre

• The dead look so terribly dead when they're dead.

  The Razor's Edge

• What do we any of us have but our illusions? And what do we ask of others but that we be allowed to keep them?

• Why did you look at the sunset?'Philip answered with his mouth full:Because I was happy.

  Of Human Bondage

• Kant thought things, not because they were true, but because he was Kant.

  Of Human Bondage

• I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp.

• I now, weak, old, diseased, poor, dying, hold still my soul in my hands, and I regret nothing.

  Of Human Bondage

• 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.

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