--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Supposing there is no life everlasting…" description: "\"“Supposing there is no life everlasting. Think what it means if death is really the end of all things. They've given up all for nothing. They've been c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/w-somerset-maugham-2-32772_art_supposing-there-is-no-life-everlasting-t_2249450.jpg" --- # Supposing there is no life everlasting. Think what it… ![“Supposing there is no life everlasting. Think what it means if death is really the end of all things. They've given up all for nothing. They've been cheated. They're dupes." Waddington reflected for a little while. "I wonder if it matters what they have aimed at is illusion. Their lives are in…” quote by W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/w-somerset-maugham-2-32772_art_supposing-there-is-no-life-everlasting-t_2249450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/w-somerset-maugham-2-32772_art_supposing-there-is-no-life-everlasting-t_2249450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/043/w-somerset-maugham-2-32772_art_supposing-there-is-no-life-everlasting-t_2249450.jpg) > ““Supposing there is no life everlasting. Think what it means if death is really the end of all things. They've given up all for nothing. They've been cheated. They're dupes." Waddington reflected for a little while. "I wonder if it matters what they have aimed at is illusion. Their lives are in themselves beautiful. I have an idea that the only thing which makes it possible to regard this world we live in without disgust is the beauty which now and then men create out of the chaos. The pictures they paint, the music they compose, the books the write, and the lives they lead. Of all these the richest beauty is the beautiful life. That is the perfect work of art.”” [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even if life ends, creating beauty—through art, music, literature, or living—gives meaning and counters existential dread. **In simple terms:** Creating beauty gives life purpose. Key Takeaway Cultivate and appreciate beauty in everyday life. Themes existential beauty meaning Mood reflective philosophical Type inspirational thought‑provoking When to use this quote - creative pursuits - personal reflection - cultural appreciation Key Concepts art chaos illusion Questions to Reflect On - What does "beautiful life" mean to you? - How can art counter feelings of futility? A Different Perspective Beauty may be subjective and not all find solace in it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Beautiful life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-life/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Existentialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existentialism/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Perfect work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-work/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“I wonder if it matters that what they have aimed at is illusion. Their lives are in themselves beautiful. I have an idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wonder-if-it-matters-that-what-they-have-aimed-at-is-illusion-their/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The right to kill: supposing the life of X ... were linked with our own so that the two deaths had to be simultaneous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-right-to-kill-supposing-the-life-of-x-were-linked-with-our-own-so/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Neither happiness nor grief are everlasting in this life-but one of the two is everlasting in the next. Which one do you want?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-ammaar-yasir-qadhi/neither-happiness-nor-grief-are-everlasting-in-this-life-but-one-of/) [Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-ammaar-yasir-qadhi/) > [The myth of unending consumption has taken the place of the belief in life everlasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/the-myth-of-unending-consumption-has-taken-the-place-of-the-belief-in/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [Many said that now there was no hope of salvation, for a man might do anything and be in the wrong. There was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/many-said-that-now-there-was-no-hope-of-salvation-for-a-man-might-do/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [“I feel the same way about the gift of life everlasting. I want to thank God, but I know my attempts are insufficient. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/i-feel-the-same-way-about-the-gift-of-life-everlasting-i-want-to/) Guideposts > [Through tears and trials, through fears and sorrows, through the heartache and loneliness of losing loved ones, there is assurance that life is everlasting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/through-tears-and-trials-through-fears-and-sorrows-through-the/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [“The human animal is a beast that dies and if he's got money he buys and buys and buys and I think the reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/the-human-animal-is-a-beast-that-dies-and-if-he-s-got-money-he-buys/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Maybe that was the definition of life everlasting: the belief that the next generation would carry your work forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/maybe-that-was-the-definition-of-life-everlasting-the-belief-that-the/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“human beings dream of life everlasting, that's the reason! But most of them want it on earth and not in heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/human-beings-dream-of-life-everlasting-that-s-the-reason-but-most-of/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Life everlasting in a state of happiness is the greatest desire of all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-franklin-rutherford/life-everlasting-in-a-state-of-happiness-is-the-greatest-desire-of/) [Joseph Franklin Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-franklin-rutherford/) > [Fight for life itself and everlasting freedom of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-morris/fight-for-life-itself-and-everlasting-freedom-of-the-human-spirit/) [Janet Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-morris/) > [I don't think about life everlasting. If something doesn't have scientific evidence to back it up, I don't believe it. I'm a straight shooter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-yeager/i-don-t-think-about-life-everlasting-if-something-doesn-t-have/) [Chuck Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-yeager/) > [“Why does the life everlasting have to be won at such terrible cost? If the life everlasting is true, why can it be achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-masterton/why-does-the-life-everlasting-have-to-be-won-at-such-terrible-cost-if/) [Graham Masterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-masterton/) > [To go back is nothing but death; but to go forward is fear of death and life everlasting beyond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/to-go-back-is-nothing-but-death-but-to-go-forward-is-fear-of-death/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) ## More by W Somerset Maugham > [You can do anything in this world if you are prepares to take the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/you-can-do-anything-in-this-world-if-you-are-prepares-to-take-the/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“Her happiness, sometimes almost more than she could bear, renewed her beauty. Just before she married, beginning to lose her first freshness, she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/her-happiness-sometimes-almost-more-than-she-could-bear-renewed-her/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“When people say they do not care what others think of them, for the most part they deceive themselves. Generally they mean only that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-think-of-them-for-the/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“He wondered whether he had done right. He was dissatisfied with himself and with all his circumstances. He asked himself dully whether whenever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/he-wondered-whether-he-had-done-right-he-was-dissatisfied-with/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character. --W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/when-you-choose-your-friends-don-t-be-short-changed-by-choosing/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“Conscience is the inner voice which warns us that someone may be looking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/conscience-is-the-inner-voice-which-warns-us-that-someone-may-be/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“When people say they do not care what others think of them, for the most part they deceive themselves. Generally they mean only that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-think-of-them-for-the-3/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [Lady Hodmarsh and the duchess immediately assumedthe clinging affability that persons of rank assume with their inferiors in order to show them that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/lady-hodmarsh-and-the-duchess-immediately-assumedthe-clinging/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [To eat well in England, you should have a breakfast three times a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/to-eat-well-in-england-you-should-have-a-breakfast-three-times-a-day/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [It is funny about life: if you refuse to accept anything but the very best you will very often get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/it-is-funny-about-life-if-you-refuse-to-accept-anything-but-the-very/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“I wonder if you're not over-sensitive about your misfortune. Has it ever struck you to thank God for it? As long as you accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/i-wonder-if-you-re-not-over-sensitive-about-your-misfortune-has-it/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“...the world is quickly bored by the recital of misfortune, and willingly avoids the sight of distress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/the-world-is-quickly-bored-by-the-recital-of-misfortune-and-willingly/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [“Passion doesn’t count the cost. Pascal said that the heart has its reasons that reason takes no account of. If he meant what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/passion-doesn-t-count-the-cost-pascal-said-that-the-heart-has-its/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) > [We are not the same persons this year as last; nor are those we love. It is a happy chance if we, changing, continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham-2/we-are-not-the-same-persons-this-year-as-last-nor-are-those-we-love-2/) [W Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) [Explore all 15 W Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham-2/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Supposing there is no life everlasting. Think what it means if death is really the end of all things. They've given up all for nothing. They've been cheated. They're dupes.\" Waddington reflected for a little while. \"I wonder if it matters what they have aimed at is illusion. Their lives are in themselves beautiful. I have an idea that the only thing which makes it possible to regard this world we live in without disgust is the beauty which now and then men create out of the chaos. The pictures they paint, the music they compose, the books the write, and the lives they lead. Of all these the richest beauty is the beautiful life. 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