It is bad enough to know the past; it would be intolerable to know the future. W. Somerset Maugham More Quotes by W. Somerset Maugham More Quotes From W. Somerset Maugham The worst of having so much tact was that you never quite knew whether other people were acting naturally or being tactful too. [The human element] W. Somerset Maugham elementsactingpeople People are always a little disconcerted when you don't recognize them, they are so important to themselves, it is a shock to discover of what small importance they are to others. [The human element] W. Somerset Maugham elementsimportantpeople One does not really feel much grief at other people's sorrows; one tries, and puts on a melancholy face, thinking oneself brutal for not caring more; but one cannot and it is better, for if one grieved too deeply at other people's tears, life would be unendurable; and every man has sufficient sorrows of his own without taking to heart his neighbour's. W. Somerset Maugham griefcaringheart It is cruel to discover one's mediocrity only when it is too late. It does not improve the temper. W. Somerset Maugham mediocritydoetoo-late For my part I cannot believe in a God who is angry with me because I do not believe in him. I cannot believe in a God who is less tolerant than I. I cannot believe in a God who has neither humour nor common sense. W. Somerset Maugham common-senseatheistbelieve It is pleasure that lurks in the practice of every one of your virtues. Man performs actions because they are good for him, and when they are good for other people as well they are thought virtuous: if he finds pleasure in helping others he is benevolent; if he finds pleasure in working for society he is public-spirited; but it is for your private pleasure that you give twopence to a beggar as much as it is for my private pleasure that I drink another whiskey and soda. I, less of a humbug than you, neither applaud myself for my pleasure nor demand your admiration. W. Somerset Maugham helping-otherspracticemen He found that it was easy to make a heroic gesture, but hard to abide by its results. W. Somerset Maugham gesturesheroiceasy You see, money to you means freedom; to me it means bondage. W. Somerset Maugham bondagemean When he sacrifices himself man for a moment is greater than God, for how can God, infinite and omnipotent, sacrifice himself? W. Somerset Maugham sacrificeatheistmen We Americans... like change. It is at once our weakness and our strength. W. Somerset Maugham weakness What was it in the human heart that made you despise a man because he loved you? W. Somerset Maugham madeheartmen Do you absolutely despise me, Walter?" "No." He hesitated and his voice was strange. "I despise myself. W. Somerset Maugham despisestrangevoice She alone had been blind to his merit. Why? Because he loved her and she did not love him. What was it in the human heart that made you despise a man because he loved you? W. Somerset Maugham meritheartmen I prefer a loose woman to a selfish one and a wanton to a fool. W. Somerset Maugham loose-womenfoolselfish She says it's really not very flattering to her that the women who fall in love with her husband are so uncommonly second-rate. W. Somerset Maugham ratefalling-in-lovehusband When I was young I was amazed at Plutarch's statement that the elder Cato began at the age of eighty to learn Greek. I am amazed no longer. Old age is ready to undertake tasks that youth shirked because they would take too long. W. Somerset Maugham learningtimelong A bird in the hand was worth two in the bush, he told her, to which she retorted that a proverb was the last refuge of the mentally destitute. W. Somerset Maugham birdtwohands Was it necessary to tell me that you wanted nothing in the world but me?' The corners of his mouth drooped peevishly. Oh, my dear, it's rather hard to take quite literally the things a man says when he's in love with you.' Didn't you mean them?' At the moment. W. Somerset Maugham love-youmenmean Kant thought things, not because they were true, but because he was Kant. W. Somerset Maugham It was like making a blunder at a party; there was nothing to do about it, it was dreadfully mortifying, but it showed a lack of sense to ascribe too much importance to it. W. Somerset Maugham blunderstoo-muchparty
