The Summing Up, Part 354, Volume 1This book represents Maugham's life and philosophy in his own words. It is autobiographical in nature, though most of the work is concerned with Maugham's unique and fascinating opinions on the theatre, writing, metaphysics and the interesting people he encountered in his long and successful career. |
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Page 26
I cannot imagine that English can be better written. Here are no flowery periods,
fantastic turns of phrase or highflown images. It is a civilized prose, natural,
discreet and pointed. There is no attempt to surprise by an extravagant
vocabulary.
I cannot imagine that English can be better written. Here are no flowery periods,
fantastic turns of phrase or highflown images. It is a civilized prose, natural,
discreet and pointed. There is no attempt to surprise by an extravagant
vocabulary.
Page 41
I have written few pages that I feel I could not improve and far too many that I
have left with dissatisfaction because, try as I would, I could do no better. I cannot
say of myself what Johnson said of Pope: 'He never passed a fault unamended
by ...
I have written few pages that I feel I could not improve and far too many that I
have left with dissatisfaction because, try as I would, I could do no better. I cannot
say of myself what Johnson said of Pope: 'He never passed a fault unamended
by ...
Page 207
The first story I wrote now was called Rain and it looked for a while as though I
should have no better luck with it than with those I had written in my youth, for
editor after editor refused it; but I no longer minded and I went on. When I had
written ...
The first story I wrote now was called Rain and it looked for a while as though I
should have no better luck with it than with those I had written in my youth, for
editor after editor refused it; but I no longer minded and I went on. When I had
written ...
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able accept action actors admire appearance artist asked attention audience beauty believe better called cause character claim common concerned course critic deal difficult discover drama dramatist easy effect emotion English exciting existence experience eyes fact feeling forced French gave give given hard human ideas imagination important instinct interest knew knowledge known least less literature live longer look matter meaning mind nature never novel offer once one's passing perfect perhaps persons philosophers picture play pleasure possible present produced prose reader reason seemed seen sense sometimes sort speak spirit story success suppose taken tell theatre things thought tion told took truth turn universe wanted whole write written wrote young youth
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Summing Up, Part 354, Volume 1 Armed Services ed Armed Services editions Volume 10 of Collected edition of the works of W. Somerset Maugham Volume 5339 of Collection of British authors International Collector's Library Mentor book Volume 5339 of Tauchnitz edition of British and American authors Works, William Somerset Maugham |
| Authors | William Somerset Maugham, Maria Dermoût |
| Publisher | Doubleday, Doran & Company, Incorporated, 1938 |
| Original from | the University of California |
| Digitized | 26 Sep 2007 |
| Length | 310 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |