Max Beerbohm

Max Beerbohm

24-Aug-1872


Andorra


Essayist

Born in London on August 24, 1872, Henry Maximilian Beerbohm was the last of several children to a Lithuanian-born grain merchant, Julius Ewald Beerbohm. His mother was Eliza Draper Beerbohm, the sister of the late Julius's first wife. It was a well-to-do family in London, and Max grew up with four sisters from his father's second marriage. He was very close to half of his siblings, one of whom, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, had been a famous stage actor when Max was a child.

QUOTES BY Max Beerbohm


"It is easier to confess a defect than to claim a quality"

"Incongruity is the mainspring of laughter"

"No Roman ever was able to say, `I dined last night with the Borgias'."

"`Ah, say that again,' she murmured. `Your voice is music.' He repeated his question. `Music,' she said dreamily; and such is the force of habit that `I don't,' she added, `know anything about music, really. But I know what I like.'"

"She was one of those people who said ''I don't know anything about music, but I know what I like.''"

"You cannot make a man by standing a sheep on its hind-legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position you can make a crowd of men."

"A hundred eyes were fixed on her, and half as many hearts lost to her."

"The dullard's envy of brilliant men is always assuaged by the suspicion that they will come to bad end"

"Fate wrote her [Queen Caroline] a most tremendous tragedy, and she played it in tights."

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