But what is criticism? Criticism is purely destructive; anyone can destroy, but not everyone can build up. W. Somerset Maugham More Quotes by W. Somerset Maugham More Quotes From W. Somerset Maugham 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 changelovelife 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. W. Somerset Maugham delightenjoy-it-while-it-lastschange To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life. W. Somerset Maugham readinglifebook The secret to life is meaningless unless you discover it yourself. W. Somerset Maugham secretlife-isinspirational It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it. W. Somerset Maugham inspirationallifefunny 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 libertarian-partypatrioticfreedom The fact that a great many people believe something is no guarantee of its truth. W. Somerset Maugham guaranteesbelievepeople An unfortunate thing about this world is that the good habits are much easier to give up than the bad ones. W. Somerset Maugham unfortunate-thingsgiving-upworld The great tragedy of life is not that men perish, but that they cease to love. W. Somerset Maugham changelovelife Throw yourself into the hurly-burly of life. It doesn't matter how many mistakes you make, what unhappiness you have to undergo. It is all your material ... Don't wait for experience to come to you; go out after experience. Experience is your material. W. Somerset Maugham matterwaitingmistake Only a mediocre person is always at his best. W. Somerset Maugham failureinspirationallife The essential element of love is a belief in its own eternity. W. Somerset Maugham elementsessentialslove-is The only important thing in a book is the meaning that it has for you. W. Somerset Maugham readingeducationbook The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We must see the beauty of quietness. We must go through life so inconspicuously that Fate does not notice us. And let us seek the love of simple, ignorant people. Their ignorance is better than all our knowledge. Let us be silent, content in our little corner, meek and gentle like them. That is the wisdom of life. W. Somerset Maugham fateignorancehumble The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquillity of the evening. Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth. W. Somerset Maugham sillymorningbeauty The love that lasts longest is the love that is never returned. W. Somerset Maugham heartbreaklovelife There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. W. Somerset Maugham real-talkstory-writerswriting She loved three things — a joke, a glass of wine, and a handsome man. W. Somerset Maugham glasseswinemen It wasn't until late in life that I discovered how easy it is to say, 'I don't know.' W. Somerset Maugham humilityhumblechildren One cannot find peace in work or in pleasure, in the world or in a convent, but only in one's soul. W. Somerset Maugham finding-peacesoulworld
