What makes old age hard to bear is not the failing of one's faculties, mental and physical, but the burden of one's memories.

— W. Somerset Maugham

When a woman loves you she's not satisfied until she possesses your soul. Because she's weak, she has a rage for domination, and nothing less will satisfy her.

— W. Somerset Maugham

When he sacrifices himself man for a moment is greater than God, for how can God, infinite and omnipotent, sacrifice himself?

— W. Somerset Maugham

When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character.

— W. Somerset Maugham

Why did you look at the sunset?' Philip answered with his mouth full:Because I was happy.

— W. Somerset Maugham

Women are constantly trying to commit suicide for love, but generally they take care not to succeed.

— W. Somerset Maugham

Women are strange little beasts,' he said to Dr. Contrast. 'You can treat them like dogs, you can beat them till your arm aches, and still they love you.' He shrugged his shoulders. 'Of course, it is one of the most absurd illusions of Christianity that they have souls.

— W. Somerset Maugham

Writing is the supreme solace.

— W. Somerset Maugham

Yet magic is no more the art of employing consciously invisible means to produce visible effects. Will, love, and imagination are magic powers that everyone possesses; and whoever knows how to develop them to their fullest extent is a magician. Magic has but one dogma, namely, that the seen is the measure of the unseen.

— W. Somerset Maugham

You are not angry with people when you laugh at them. Humor teaches tolerance.

— W. Somerset Maugham