William Somerset Maugham

Quotes by William Somerset Maugham

Featured quote“Only a mediocre person is always at his best.”William Somerset Maugham

Quotes by William Somerset Maugham

“Money is the string with which a sardonic destiny directs the motions of its puppets.” William Somerset Maugham

“If you want to eat well in England, eat three breakfasts.” William Somerset Maugham

“You are not angry with people when you laugh at them. Humor teaches tolerance.” William Somerset Maugham

Angry Laugh Life Fun People Tolerance Humor Teaches

“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.” William Somerset Maugham

“It is an illusion that youth is happy, an illusion of those who have lost it.” William Somerset Maugham

“Have common sense and stick to the point.” William Somerset Maugham

“Tolerance is another word for indifference.” William Somerset Maugham

“Perfection is a trifle dull. It is not the least of life's ironies that this, which we all aim at, is better not quite achieved.” William Somerset Maugham

“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.” William Somerset Maugham

“There are two good things in life - freedom of thought and freedom of action.” William Somerset Maugham

“Impropriety is the soul of wit.” William Somerset Maugham

“I made up my mind long ago that life was too short to do anything for myself that I could pay others to do for me.” William Somerset Maugham

“Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one's mind.” William Somerset Maugham

“Money is like a sixth sense without which you cannot make a complete use of the other five.” William Somerset Maugham

“The great American novel has not only already been written, it has already been rejected.” William Somerset Maugham

“We know our friends by their defects rather than by their merits.” William Somerset Maugham

“No egoism is so insufferable as that of the Christian with regard to his soul.” William Somerset Maugham

“You can do anything in this world if you are prepared to take the consequences.” William Somerset Maugham

“Old age is ready to undertake tasks that youth shirked because they would take too long.” William Somerset Maugham

“Sentimentality is the only sentiment that rubs you the wrong way.” William Somerset Maugham

“The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.” William Somerset Maugham

“Tradition is a guide and not a jailer.” William Somerset Maugham

“We learn resignation not by our own suffering, but by the suffering of others.” William Somerset Maugham

“When you are young you take the kindness people show you as your right.” William Somerset Maugham

“My own belief is that there is hardly anyone whose sexual life, if it were broadcast, would not fill the world at large with surprise and horror.” William Somerset Maugham

“The trouble with young writers is that they are all in their sixties.” William Somerset Maugham

“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.” William Somerset Maugham

“Few misfortunes can befall a boy which bring worse consequence than to have a really affectionate mother.” William Somerset Maugham

“Habits in writing as in life are only useful if they are broken as soon as they cease to be advantageous.” William Somerset Maugham

“In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.” William Somerset Maugham