Noel Coward Quotes

It is discouraging how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.

A perfect martini should be made by filling a glass with gin then waving it in the general direction of Italy.

Work hard, do the best you can, don't ever lose faith in yourself and take no notice of what other people say about you.

My importance to the world is relatively small. On the other hand, my importance to myself is tremendous. I am all I have to work with, to play with, to suffer and to enjoy. It is not the eyes of others that I am wary of, but of my own. I do not intend to let myself down more than I can possibly help, and I find that the fewer illusions I have about myself or the world around me, the better company I am for myself.

Never trust a man with short legs. His brains are too near his bottom.

You will know you're old when you cease to be amazed.

I love criticism just so long as it's unqualified praise.

Familiarity breeds contempt, but without a little familiarity it's impossible to breed anything.

It's never too early for a cocktail.

Grab it while you can — grab every scrap of happiness while you can

It is my considered opinion that the human race (soi disant) is cruel, idiotic, sentimental, predatory, ungrateful, ugly, conceited and egocentric to the last ditch and that the occasional discovery of an isolated exception is as deliciously surprising as finding a sudden brazil nut in what you know to be five pounds of vanilla creams. These glorious moments, although not making life actually worth living, perhaps, at least make it pleasanter.

Consider the public. Never fear it nor despise it. Coax it, charm it, interest it, stimulate it, shock it now and then if you must, make it laugh, make it cry, but above all never, never, never bore the living hell out of it.

Why do I drink Champagne for breakfast? Doesn't everyone?

Just say the lines and don't trip over the furniture.

We have no reliable guarantee that the afterlife will be any less exasperating than this one, have we?

Conceit is an outward manifestation of inferiority.

Having to read footnotes resembles having to go downstairs to answer the door while in the midst of making love.

People are wrong when they say opera is not what it used to be. It is what it used to be. That is what's wrong with it.

Wit ought to be a glorious treat like caviar; never spread it about like marmalade.

Criticism and Bolshevism have one thing in common. They both seek to pull down that which they could never build.

The higher the building the lower the morals.

Work is much more fun than fun.

Television is for appearing on, not looking at.

Thousands of people have talent. I might as well congratulate you for having eyes in your head. The one and only thing that counts is: Do you have staying power?

I'm not a heavy drinker, I can sometimes go for hours without touching a drop.