793 Quotes by W. Somerset Maugham

I think it may be not unjustly said that Mrs. Barton Trafford fairly ran over with the milk of human kindness, but all the same I have an inkling that if ever the milk of human kindness was charged with vitriol, here was a case in point.

Who am I to explain the infinite complexities of human nature?

Philip had a passion for discussion, but no talent for small-talk.

The most difficult thing for a wise woman to do is to pretend to be a foolish one.

She loved him now with a new love because he had made her suffer.

Non so. Io non capisco nulla di nulla della vita. E’ così strana…mi sento come se avessi passato tutta la mia esistenza in riva a uno stagno e d’un tratto vedessi il mare. E mi sento mancare il respiro, ma sono al tempo stesso piena di esaltazione. Io non voglio morire, voglio vivere. Comincio ad avere un nuovo coraggio…mi sembra di essere uno di quei vecchi marinai che salpavano un tempo per mari sconosciuti. Sì, la mia anima anela all’ignoto.

He would rather have misery with one than happiness with the other.

Philip had a practical outlook and he grew impatient with the theories which resulted in no action.

I wish to deal only with the masterpieces which the consensus of opinion for a long time has accepted as supreme. We are all supposed to have read them; it is a pity that so few of us have.