793 Quotes by W. Somerset Maugham

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.

And the poor lady, so small in her black satin, shrivelled up and sallow, with her funny corkscrew curls, took the little boy on her lap and put her arms around him and wept as though her heart would break. But her tears were partly tears of happiness, for she felt that the strangeness between them was gone. She loved him now with a new love because he had made her suffer.

I'm afraid it sounds very rude, but I hope from the bottom of my heart that I shall never set eyes on any of you again.'pg 193

Philip, outrageously sensitive-- pg 123

People ask you for criticism, but they only want praise.

People ask for your criticism, but they only want praise.

I have always hesitated to give advice, for how can one advise another how to act unless one knows that other as well as one knows himself? Heaven knows. I know little enough of myself: I know nothing of others. We can only guess at the thoughts and emotions of our neighbours. Each one of us is a prisoner in a solitary tower and he communicates with the other prisoners, who form mankind, by conventional signs that have not quite the same meaning for them as for himself.

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

He did not like old people, and resented it when he was invited to meet only persons of his own age, and the young he found vapid.