W. Somerset Maugham Quotes

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

Friendship, Character, Friends

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.
W. Somerset Maugham

Anniversary, Love, Happy

Quote

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

Best, Life, Funny

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

Love, Dirty, Achieve

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.
W. Somerset Maugham

Success, Humble, Makes

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

Writing, Three, Knows

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.
W. Somerset Maugham

Marriage, Home, Sex

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

Marriage, Good, Mistake

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

Death, Nothing, Advice

If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom, and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.
W. Somerset Maugham

Money, Freedom, Lose

At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely.
W. Somerset Maugham

New Year's, Talk, Party

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

Art, Soul, Artist

Only a mediocre person is always at his best.
W. Somerset Maugham

Best, Person, Mediocre

Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit.
W. Somerset Maugham

Effect, Moderation, Habit

Beauty is an ecstasy; it is as simple as hunger. There is really nothing to be said about it. It is like the perfume of a rose: you can smell it and that is all.
W. Somerset Maugham

Beauty, Simple, Nothing

There is no explanation for evil. It must be looked upon as a necessary part of the order of the universe. To ignore it is childish, to bewail it senseless.
W. Somerset Maugham

Evil, Ignore, Universe

An unfortunate thing about this world is that the good habits are much easier to give up than the bad ones.
W. Somerset Maugham

Good, Bad, Give

Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young.
W. Somerset Maugham

Imagination, Powerful, Young

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

Life, Change, Good

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.
W. Somerset Maugham

Good, Trying, Old

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.
W. Somerset Maugham

Freedom, Lose, Nation

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

Life, Easy, Until

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

Work, Enough, Wealth

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

Happiness, Men, Character

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

Thought, Lovely, Pity

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Biography

Nationality: British

Type: Playwright

Born: January 25, 1874

Died: December 16, 1965

Links

Find on Amazon: W. Somerset Maugham

Cite this Page: Citation

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