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A writer need not devour a whole sheep in order to know what mutton tastes like, but he must at least eat a chop. Unless he gets his facts right, his imagination will lead him into all kinds of nonsense, and the facts he is most likely to get right are the facts of his own experience.

W. Somerset Maugham

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W. Somerset Maugham
Age: 90 †
Born: 1874
Born: January 1
Died: 1965
Died: January 1
Army Scout
Literary Critic
Novelist
Physician Writer
Playwright
Prosaist
Screenwriter
Writer
Paris
France
W. Somerset Maugham
Somerset Maugham
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Facts
Lead
Mutton
Order
Taste
Chop
Need
Unless
Devour
Whole
Gets
Tastes
Right
Writer
Sheep
Must
Least
Nonsense
Needs
Imagination
Likely
Kind
Experience
Kinds

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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.
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If it is necessary sometimes to lie to others, it is always despicable to lie to oneself.
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The artist produces for the liberation of his soul. It is his nature to create as it is the nature of water to run down the hill.
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I am sick of this way of life. The weariness and sadness of old age make it intolerable. I have walked with death in hand, and death's own hand is warmer than my own. I don't wish to live any longer.
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A man who is a politician at forty is a statesman at three score and ten. It is at this age, when he would be too old to be a clerk or a gardener or a police-court magistrate, that he is ripe to govern a country.
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Why did you look at the sunset?' Philip answered with his mouth full: Because I was happy.
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The secret of play-writing can be given in two maxims: stick to the point, and, whenever you can, cut.
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Success. I don't believe it has any effect on me. For one thing I always expected it.
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Common sense and nature will do a lot to make the pilgrimage of life not too difficult.
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Because women can do nothing except love, they've given it a ridiculous importance. They want to persuade us that it's the whole of life. It's an insignificant part.
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No man in his heart is quite so cynical as a well-bred woman.
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It's no good trying to keep up old friendships. It's painful for both sides. The fact is, one grows out of people, and the only thing is to face it.
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A woman can forgive a man for the harm he does her...but she can never forgive him for the sacrifices he makes on her account.
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You can never know enough about your characters
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When she liked anyone it was quite natural for her to go to bed with him. She never thought twice about it. It was not vice it wasn't lasciviousness it was her nature. She gave herself as naturally as the sun gives heat or the flowers their perfume. It was a pleasure to her and she liked to give pleasure to others.
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Few misfortunes can befall a boy which bring worse consequence than to have a really affectionate mother.
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Kant thought things, not because they were true, but because he was Kant.
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An unfortunate thing about this world is that the good habits are much easier to give up than the bad ones.
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Charm and nothing but charm at last grows a little tiresome. It's a relief then to deal with a man who isn't quite so delightful but a little more sincere.
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Habits in writing as in life are only useful if they are broken as soon as they cease to be advantageous.
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