In civilized communities men's idiosyncrasies are mitigated by the necessity of conforming to certain rules of behavior. Culture is a mask that hides their faces.
W. Somerset MaughamHe did not care upon what terms he satisfied his passion. He had even a mad, melodramatic idea to drug her.
W. Somerset MaughamPerfect is determined in shortened measures of time, not over long periods of time or lifetimes. It would be unnatural.
W. Somerset MaughamA writer need not devour a whole sheep in order to know what mutton tastes like, but he must at least eat a chop. Unless he gets his facts right, his imagination will lead him into all kinds of nonsense, and the facts he is most likely to get right are the facts of his own experience.
W. Somerset Maugham