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The fact that a great many people believe something is no guarantee of its truth.

W. Somerset Maugham

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.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Ask Charitablity Disappoint Each Fellow Himself Less More Reconcile
There is a sort of man who pays no attention to his good actions, but is tormented by his bad ones. This is the type that most often writes about himself.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Attention Bad Good Man One Play Sort Tormented
We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Because Have Want Write
We must be very humble. We must see the beauty of quietness. We must go through life so inconspicuously that Fate does not notice us. And let us seek the love of simple, ignorant people. Their ignorance is better than all our knowledge.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Beauty Humble Ignorance Inconspicuously Knowledge Love Notice Outness People Simple
People talk of beauty lightly, and having no feeling for words, they use that one carelessly, so that it loses its force; and the thing it stands for, sharing its name with a hundred trivial objects, is deprived of dignity.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Beauty Carelessly Feel Force Lighty Lose One People Stand Talk Thing Use Word
When I look back upon the girl I was I hate myself. But I never had a chance. I’m going to bring up my daughter so that she’s free and can stand on her own feet.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Chance Daughter Feel Girl Hate Look Own Stand Upon
The crown of literature is poetry. It is its end and aim. It is the sublimest activity of the human mind. It is the achievement of beauty and delicacy. The writer of prose can only step aside when the poet passes.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Achievement Activity Aim Beauty Crown Delicacy End Human Literature Mind Poetry Sublimest
There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Know Novel Rule Three Unfortunately Write
It’s a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Accept Best Funny Get Life Often Refuse Thing
If nobody spoke unless he had something to say, the human race would very soon lose the use of speech.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Human Lose Nobody Race Something Soon Speech Spoke Unless Very
Most people are such fools that it is really no great compliment to say that someone is above the average.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Above Average Compliment Fool Great Most People Really Someone
From the earliest time the old have rubbed it into the young that they are wiser, and before the young had discovered what nonsense this was they were old too, and it profited them to carry on the imposture.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Before Discover Earliest Into Nonsense Rub Time Wiser Young
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

Angry Believe God Les Part Than Tolerant
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.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Chance Continue Happy Love Person Same Year
We who are of mature age seldom suspect how unmercifully and yet with what insight the very young judge us.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Insight Judge Mature Seldom Suspect Ummercifully Very Yet Young
Words have weight, sound and appearance; it is only by considering these that you can write a sentence that is good to look at and good to listen to.
W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Appearance Consider Good Listen Look Only Sentence Sound Weight Word

The fact that a great many people believe something is no guarantee of its truth.

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The fact that a great many people believe something is no guarantee of its truth.

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