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 108
There was a period when the stage was the doorway to romance and everyone
connected with it seemed exciting and mysterious. In the civilized world of the
eighteenth century the actors gave life a touch of fantasy. Their disorderly
existence ...
There was a period when the stage was the doorway to romance and everyone
connected with it seemed exciting and mysterious. In the civilized world of the
eighteenth century the actors gave life a touch of fantasy. Their disorderly
existence ...
Page 115
They complained that there was not enough action and Miss Mary Moore, then a
popular actress, suggested that I should insert a burglary to make it more exciting
. I began to think that I should never be able to write a piece that a leading lady ...
They complained that there was not enough action and Miss Mary Moore, then a
popular actress, suggested that I should insert a burglary to make it more exciting
. I began to think that I should never be able to write a piece that a leading lady ...
Page 300
It is no good for the aestheticians to say that you ought not to be moved by a
picture or a symphony because it fills you with erotic excitement or melts you to
tears by reminding you of some longforgotten scene, or through its associations
exalts ...
It is no good for the aestheticians to say that you ought not to be moved by a
picture or a symphony because it fills you with erotic excitement or melts you to
tears by reminding you of some longforgotten scene, or through its associations
exalts ...
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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