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William Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was an English playwright, novelist, and short story writer. He was one of the most popular authors of his era, and reputedly the highest paid of his profession during the 1930s. By 1914 he was famous, with 10 plays produced and 10 published novels. His masterpiece is generally agreed to be Of Human Bondage (1915), a semi-autobiographical novel that deals with the life of the main character Philip Carey, who like Maugham, was orphaned, and brought up by his pious uncle. His last major novel, The Razor's Edge, published in 1944, was a departure for him in many ways. While much of the novel takes place in Europe, its main characters are American, not British. His other works include: Liza of Lambeth (1897), Mrs Craddock (1902), A Man of Honour (1903), The Land of the Blessed Virgin (1905), The Bishop's Apron (1906), Lady Frederick (1907), The Magician (1908), Home and Beauty (1909), The Moon and Sixpence (1919), The Circle (1921), The Trembling of a Leaf (1921), and On a Chinese Screen (1922).

The sea was very calm. There was no ship in sight, and the sea-gulls were motionless upon its even greyness. The sky was dark with lowering clouds, but there was no wind. The line of the horizon was clear and delicate. The shingly beach, no less deserted, was thick with tangled seaweed, and the innumerable shells crumbled under the feet that trod them. The breakwaters, which sought to prevent the unceasing encroachment of the waves, were rotten with age and green with the sea-slime.

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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

William Somerset Maugham (25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965), better known as W. Somerset Maugham, was a British playwright, novelist and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest-paid author during the 1930s. After both his parents died before he was 10, Maugham was raised by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. Not wanting to become a lawyer like other men in his family, Maugham eventually trained and qualified as a physician. The initial run of his first novel, Liza of Lambeth (1897), sold out so rapidly that Maugham gave up medicine to write full-time.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"The sea was very calm. There was no ship in sight; and the sea-gulls were motionless upon its even greyness. The sky was dark with lowering clouds; but there was no wind. The line of the horizon was clear and delicate. The shingly beach; no less deserted; was thick with tangled seaweed; and the innumerable shells crumbled under the feet that trod them. The breakwaters; which sought to prevent the unceasing encroachment of the waves; were rotten with age and green with the sea-slime. It was a desolate scene; but there was a restfulness in its melancholy; and the great silence; the suave monotony of colour; might have given peace to a heart that was troubled. They could not assuage the torment of the woman who stood alone upon that spot. She did not stir; and; though her gaze was steadfast; she saw nothing. Nature has neither love nor hate; and with indifference smiles upon the light at heart and to the heavy brings a deeper sorrow. It is a great irony that the old Greek; so wise and prudent; who fancied that the gods lived utterly apart from human passions; divinely unconscious in their high palaces of the grief and joy; the hope and despair; of the turbulent crowd of men; should have gone down to posterity as the apostle of brutish pleasure." -an excerpt

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