A Quote by W. Somerset Maugham

In business sharp practice sometimes succeeds, but in art honesty is not only the best but the only policy.

W. Somerset Maugham

Quote Topics

Art Best Business Honesty Honesty Is Only Policy Practice Sharp Sometimes Succeeds

Quote Author

W. Somerset Maugham
British - Novelist
January 25, 1874 - December 16, 1965

Honesty is the best policy in international relations, interpersonal relations, labor, business, education, family and crime control because truth is the only thing that works and the only foundation on which lasting relations can build.

Ramsey Clark

We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously ceases to be honesty.

Dorothy L. Sayers

Honesty is not necessarily the best policy. The best policy would be to acquire a reputation for honesty and then to cheat at the psychological moment.

William Lyon Phelps

The trite saying that 'honesty is the best policy' has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The seems to be true. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy.

Robert E. Lee

The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy.

Robert E. Lee

Honesty is not only the best policy, it is rare enough today to make you pleasantly conspicuous.

Charles H. Brower

Honesty is the best policy; the only way out is deeper in: a candid confrontation with existence is dizzying, liberating.

David Shields

Honesty will be found on every experiment, to be the best and only true policy; let us then as a Nation be just.

George Washington

In both metaphysics and art, honesty is the best policy. Keep it clean.

Edward Abbey

Honesty is often the best policy, but sometimes the appearance of it is worth six of it.

Mark Twain

Mel [Bochner] sets a very high standard. He expects only the best and most thoughtful and rigorous examinations, not only of the history of art but your own practice.

Kehinde Wiley

Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.

George Carlin

Even in the business of corporations honesty is the best policy, and the companies that have acted in accordance with the highest standard, other things being equal, have reaped the richest harvest.

Robert Green Ingersoll

Sometimes the best, and only effective, way to kill an idea is to put it into practice.

Sydney J. Harris

In the long run, I believe that honesty is definitely the best policy. One can get away by being dishonest for a short term, but ultimately, honesty is what pays.