Oh, my dear fellow, if you want to be a gentleman you must give up being an artist. They've got nothing to do with one another. You hear of men painting pot-boilers to keep an aged mother - well, it shows they're excellent sons, but it's no excuse for bad work. They're only tradesmen. An artist would let his mother go to the workhouse.
("Of Human Bondage")
More Quotes from W. Somerset Maugham:
The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for wit.W. Somerset Maugham
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.
W. Somerset Maugham
People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.
W. Somerset Maugham
Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young.
W. Somerset Maugham
The crown of literature is poetry.
W. Somerset Maugham
Tolerance is another word for indifference.
W. Somerset Maugham
Readers Who Like This Quotation Also Like:
Based on Topics: Art Quotes, Man Quotes, Sons Quotes, Work & Career QuotesBased on Keywords: pot-boilers, tradesmen, workhouse
If I don't have a project going, I sit down and begin to write something - a character sketch, a monologue, a description of some sight, or even just a list of ideas.
Thomas Perry
In these times we fight for ideas and newspapers are our fortress.
Heinrich Heine
One of the album's songs features Mary J. Blige, but I don't want to talk too much about it yet. I think you will hear the music that's been playing in my head when it comes out.
Chaka Khan