The Summing UpAutobiographical and confessional, and yet not, this is one of the most highly regarded expressions of a personal credo - both a classic avowal of an author's ideas and his craft. |
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Page 27
I found that the only possible words were those Swift had used and that the order
in which he had placed them was the only possible order . It is an impeccable
prose . But perfection has one grave defect : it is apt to be dull . Swift's prose is
like ...
I found that the only possible words were those Swift had used and that the order
in which he had placed them was the only possible order . It is an impeccable
prose . But perfection has one grave defect : it is apt to be dull . Swift's prose is
like ...
Page 124
The astute dramatist presents his subject as early as possible , and if for
theatrical effectiveness he does not introduce his principal characters till later ,
the conversation of the persons on the stage at the rising of the curtain
concentrates the ...
The astute dramatist presents his subject as early as possible , and if for
theatrical effectiveness he does not introduce his principal characters till later ,
the conversation of the persons on the stage at the rising of the curtain
concentrates the ...
Page 200
It is not necessary for me to inform the reader that in this I failed lamentably and I
do not ask him to believe me when I state that it seems to me at least possible
that if I had been sent six months before I might quite well have succeeded .
It is not necessary for me to inform the reader that in this I failed lamentably and I
do not ask him to believe me when I state that it seems to me at least possible
that if I had been sent six months before I might quite well have succeeded .
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Common terms and phrases
able accept action actors admire appearance artist asked audience beauty believe better called cause character common complete course critic deal difficult discover drama dramatist easy effect emotion English existence experience eyes fact feeling fiction follow forced gave give given hard human ideas imagination important instinct interest Italy knew knowledge least less literature live longer look matter Maugham means mind nature never novel once passing pattern perfect perhaps persons philosophers picture play pleasure possible present produced prose reader reason seemed seen sense short sometimes sort speak story success suggested suppose taken tell theatre things thought tion told took true truth turn universe wanted whole write written wrote young
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Summing Up Volume 10 of Collected edition of the works of W. Somerset Maugham W. Somerset Maugham Works Works, William Somerset Maugham |
| Author | William Somerset Maugham |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Arno Press, 1977 |
| Original from | The Ohio State University |
| Digitized | 18 May 2018 |
| ISBN | 0405078307, 9780405078309 |
| Length | 310 pages |
| Subjects | › Fiction / Literary |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |