I always say beauty is only sin deep.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Sin
A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Lies, Understanding, Honesty, One liners
When people grow gradually rich their requirements and standard of living expand in proportion, while their present-giving instincts often remain in the undeveloped condition of their earlier days. Something showy and not-too-expensive in a shop is their only conception of the ideal gift.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Giving, Charity
Scandal is merely the compassionate allowance which the gay make to the humdrum. Think how many blameless lives are brightened by the blazing indiscretions of other people.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Poverty keeps together more homes than it breaks up.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Poverty
Hors d’oeuvres have always a pathetic interest for me; they remind me of one’s childhood that one goes through wondering what the next course is going to be like—and during the rest of the menu one wishes one had eaten more of the hors d’oeuvres.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Eating
The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old have reminiscences of what never happened. It’s only the middle-aged who are really conscious of their limitations—that is why one should be so patient with them.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Memory, Aspirations, Youth
It’s no use growing older if you only learn new ways of misbehaving yourself.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Behavior, Manners
No one has ever said it, but how painfully true it is that the poor have us always with them.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Wealth, Riches
He’s simply got the instinct for being unhappy highly developed.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Happiness
The sacrifices of friendship were beautiful in her eyes as long as she was not asked to make them.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro)
Topics: Friends and Friendship
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
V. S. Pritchett British Short Story Writer
Anton Chekhov Russian Short Story Writer
William H. Gass American Short Story Writer
Damon Runyon American Writer, Journalist
Eudora Welty American Short Story Writer
Andre Dubus American Short Story Writer
Katherine Mansfield British Author
Rudyard Kipling British Children’s Books Writer
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell Founder of the Boy Scouts
Winston Churchill British Head of State