Sir Henry Maximilian "Max" Beerbohm (London 24 August 1872 – 20 May 1956 Rapallo) was an English essayist, parodist, and caricaturist best known today for his 1911 novel Zuleika Dobson. Read full biography of Max Beerbohm →
People are either born hosts or born guests.
It seems to be a law of nature that no man, unless he has some obvious physical deformity, ever is loth to sit for his portrait.
People who insist on telling their dreams are among the terrors of the breakfast table.
As a teacher, as a propagandist, Mr. Shaw is no good at all, even in his own generation. But as a personality, he is immortal.
Incongruity is the mainspring of laughter.
To mankind in general Macbeth and Lady Macbeth stand out as the supreme type of all that a host and hostess should not be.
To destroy is still the strongest instinct in nature.
All fantasy should have a solid base in reality.
Of all the objects of hatred, a woman once loved is the most hateful.
Humility is a virtue, and it is a virtue innate in guests.
One might well say that mankind is divisible into two great classes: hosts and guests.
To give an accurate and exhaustive account of that period would need a far less brilliant pen than mine.
There is much to be said for failure. It is much more interesting than success.
Sir Henry Maximilian "Max" Beerbohm (London 24 August 1872 – 20 May 1956 Rapallo) was an English essayist, parodist, and caricaturist best known today for his 1911 novel Zuleika Dobson.