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Quote by W. Somerset Maugham

“You will find as you grow older that the first thing needful to make the world a tolerable place to live in is to recognize the inevitable selfishness of humanity. You demand unselfishness from others, which is a preposterous claim that they should sacrifice their desires to yours. Why should they? When you are reconciled to the fact that each is for himself in the world you will ask less from your fellows. They will not disappoint you, and you will look upon them more charitably. Men seek but one thing in life -- their pleasure.”

Quote by W. Somerset Maugham

Author

W. Somerset Maugham

W. Somerset Maugham was a British playwright known for his sharp wit and insightful portrayal of human nature. Born on January 25, 1874, and passing away on December 16, 1965, Maugham's plays often delved into the complexities of human relationships and the social dynamics of his era. more

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“She had no mercy. He looked at her neck and thought how he would like to jab it with the knife he had for his muffin. He knew enough anatomy to make pretty certain of getting the carotid artery. And at the same time he wanted to cover her pale, thin face with kisses.”

Enough Wanted Faces Certain Kissing Mercy Necks Knives Pale Anatomy Arteries Muffins

Book:Of Human Bondage (Diversion Classics)

Source: Of Human Bondage (Diversion Classics)

“He knew that all things human are transitory and therefore that it must cease one day or another. He looked forward to that day with eager longing. Love was like a parasite in his heart, nourishing a hateful existence on his life's blood; it absorbed his existence so intensely that he could take pleasure in nothing else.”

Humans Heart Pleasure Existence Blood One Day All Things Longing Cease Hateful Parasites Transitory

Book:Of Human Bondage (Diversion Classics)

Source: Of Human Bondage (Diversion Classics)

“This love was a torment, and he resented bitterly the subjugation in which it held him; he was a prisoner and he longed for freedom. Sometimes he awoke in the morning and felt nothing; his soul leaped, for he thought he was free; he loved no longer; but in a little while, as he grew wide awake, the pain settled in his heart, and he knew that he was not cured yet.”

Heart Littles Soul Sometimes Pain Felt Morning Grew Wide Awake Prisoner Torment Subjugation Wide Awake

Book:The Essential W. Somerset Maugham Collection

Source: The Essential W. Somerset Maugham Collection

“He did not care upon what terms he satisfied his passion. He had even a mad, melodramatic idea to drug her.”

Ideas Care Passion Term Drug Mad Satisfied

Book:Of Human Bondage (Diversion Classics)

Source: Of Human Bondage (Diversion Classics)

“He exulted in the possession of himself once more; he realized how much of the delight of the world he had lost when he was absorbed in that madness which they called love; he had had enough of it; he did not want to be in love anymore if love was that.”

Ifs World Want Enough Lost Madness Delight Possession Had Enough

Author:W. Somerset Maugham

“Oh, it's always the same,' she sighed, 'if you want men to behave well to you, you must be beastly to them; if you treat them decently they make you suffer for it.”

Ifs Men Want Wells Suffering Treats Behave Beastly Human Bondage

Book:Mr. Maugham Himself

Source: Mr. Maugham Himself

“I know that I shall die struggling for breath, and I know that I shall be horribly afraid. I know that I shall not be able to keep myself from regretting bitterly the life that has brought me to such a pass; but I disown that regret. I now, weak, old, diseased, poor, dying, hold still my soul in my hands, and I regret nothing.”

Knows Stills Soul Hands Able Dies Poor Struggle Dying Regret Weak Breaths My Soul I Regret Diseased Regret Nothing

Author:W. Somerset Maugham

“I don't think that women ought to sit down at table with men. It ruins conversation and I'm sure it's very bad for them. It puts ideas in their heads, and women are never at ease with themselves when they have ideas.”

Thinking Men Ideas Ought Conversation Tables Ruins Ease Bondage Human Bondage

Book:The Essential W. Somerset Maugham Collection

Source: The Essential W. Somerset Maugham Collection

“I don't want to see anyone. I lie in the bedroom with the curtains drawn and nothingness washing over me like a sluggish wave. Whatever is happening to me is my own fault. I have done something wrong, something so huge I can't even see it, something that's drowning me. I am inadequate and stupid, without worth. I might as well be dead.”

Source: Cat's Eye

“She said she never wanted to have secrets from me nor from herself, which is why she wanted to write down everything that otherwise would be hard to talk about. As I said, later I understood that someone who flees into honesty like that fears something, fears that her life will fill with something that can no longer be shared, a genuine secret, indescribable, unutterable.”

Writing Said Hard Would Be Wanted Secret Honesty Understood Genuine Indescribable

Author:Sándor Márai