An unfortunate thing about this world is that the good habits are much easier to give up than the bad ones.
— W. Somerset Maugham
The world in general doesn't know what to make of originality; it is startled out of its comfortable habits of thought, and its first reaction is one of anger.
Death is a very dull, dreary affair, and my advice to you is to have nothing whatsoever to do with it.
If you don't change your beliefs, your life will be like this forever. Is that good news?
The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.
Money is the string with which a sardonic destiny directs the motions of its puppets.
The crown of literature is poetry.
In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.
It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.
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.
My own belief is that there is hardly anyone whose sexual life, if it were broadcast, would not fill the world at large with surprise and horror.
It is salutary to train oneself to be no more affected by censure than by praise.
Few misfortunes can befall a boy which bring worse consequence than to have a really affectionate mother.
It was such a lovely day I thought it a pity to get up.
I would sooner read a time-table or a catalogue than nothing at all. They are much more entertaining than half the novels that are written.
Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether we also, in our day and generation, may not perform something worthy to be remembered.
It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.
It is unsafe to take your reader for more of a fool than he is.
Writing is the supreme solace.
The love that lasts longest is the love that is never returned.
Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit.
Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.
When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character.
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.
Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.
Tolerance is another word for indifference.
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.
The great American novel has not only already been written, it has already been rejected.
Have common sense and stick to the point.
The writer of prose can only step aside when the poet passes.
If you want to eat well in England, eat three breakfasts.
There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for wit.
The most useful thing about a principle is that it can always be sacrificed to expediency.
Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young.
