Samuel West Quotes

• It is our duty to endeavor always to promote the general good; to do to all as we would be willing to be done by were we in their circumstances; to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God. These are some of the laws of nature which every man in the world is bound to observe, and which whoever violates exposes himself to the resentment of mankind, the lashes of his own conscience, and the judgment of Heaven. This plainly shows that the highest state of liberty subjects us to the law of nature and the government of God.

  Samuel West

  Men, Law, Heaven

  45 Copy quote

• [P]erfect freedom consists in obeying the dictates of right reason, and submitting to natural law. When a man goes beyond or contrary to the law of nature and reason, he . . . introduces confusion and disorder into society . . . [thus] where licentiousness begins, liberty ends.

  Samuel West

  Men, Law, Confusion

  4 Copy quote

• It would've been hard to do something else, to as it were, run away from the circus and become an accountant.

  Samuel West

  Running, Circus, Accountants

  17 Copy quote

• Most good art is left wing. It's a moot point whether there is any good right-wing art.

  Samuel West

  Art, Wings, Right Wing

  "Best of the West". Interview with Rachel Cooke, www.theguardian.com. November 25, 2007.

  4 Copy quote

• Stamps from Afghanistan are hilarious. You can tell when the revolutions are because suddenly they stop having pictures of the mullahs and the independence monument and they start having fish on them.

  Samuel West

  Independence, Revolution, Mullahs

  5 Copy quote

• I mean I think children love the idea that there are different viewpoints and different words for things and different worlds. And the more that they pretend to be other people, the harder it is for them to hate them and misunderstand them when they grow up.

  Samuel West

  Children, Growing Up, Hate

  7 Copy quote

• Im lucky enough to work with, I think, the greatest writer theres ever been, Shakespeare. Whose collected works would always be under my pillow if I was only ever allowed one book to keep, and who never bores me.

  Samuel West

  Book, Thinking, Lucky

  7 Copy quote

• Where licentiousness begins, liberty ends.

  Samuel West

  Liberty, Ends, American Liberty

  4 Copy quote

• Of course 'Hamlet' is a debate about the nature and morality of revenge and whether it is right to do something to assuage your angry feelings.

  Samuel West

  Revenge, Feelings, Morality

  7 Copy quote

• If you play a part that's been done before, on stage for instance, you feel like you're carrying a torch and staggering under the weight of it for a bit and then passing it on to somebody else.

  Samuel West

  Play, Torches, Done

  4 Copy quote

• What did my parents say when I told them I wanted to be an actor? 'Be a plumber.'

  Samuel West

  Parent, Actors, Plumber

  "Biography/Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

  4 Copy quote

• Shakespeare I love, but for an English graduate, I'm incredibly badly read.

  Samuel West

  Graduates

  "Biography/Personal Quotes". www.imdb.com.

  4 Copy quote

• I'm not very good at relaxing. Reading's the main thing. On the bus, on the tube, on the loo. Literally all the time. I mean, I don't think there's a moment of the day when I wouldn't be if I was left alone.

  Samuel West

  Reading, Mean, Thinking

  7 Copy quote

• When people say, 'If I had my life over again I wouldn't do anything different,' well, I'd do everything differently just for the variety.

  Samuel West

  People, Different, Wells

  4 Copy quote

• What I do believe is theatre is a medium with a peculiar ability to air vital issues.

  Samuel West

  Believe, Air, Issues

  "The Guardian profile: Sam West" by Michael Billington, www.theguardian.com. September 16, 2005.

  4 Copy quote

• The idea that if you are very clever you shouldn't be an actor would be laughable in Russia.

  Samuel West

  Clever, Russia, Ideas

  "Best of the West". Interview with Rachel Cooke, www.theguardian.com. November 25, 2007.

  7 Copy quote

• I'm rather proud of having been a trainspotter.

  Samuel West

  Proud

  4 Copy quote

• I usually play toffs and soldiers, with a sideline in mass murderers.

  Samuel West

  Play, Soldier, Mass

  "The Guardian profile: Sam West" by Michael Billington, www.theguardian.com. September 16, 2005.

  4 Copy quote

• I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through yet another test.

  Samuel West

  Coward, Acting, Tests

  4 Copy quote

• I absolutely love working with my dad because there is such an ease about it, and I also love his company.

  Samuel West

  Dad, Ease, My Dad

  4 Copy quote

• Books don't exist unless you read them. And it's a two way process - you write the book as you read it and you fill in the gaps. You discover it and you put the marks together and without you doing it they're just marks.

  Samuel West

  Book, Writing, Two

  7 Copy quote

• We'll be back. I promise you that.

  Samuel West

  Promise, I Promise

  7 Copy quote

• My one remaining professional ambition is to read the shipping forecast. I live in hope.

  Samuel West

  Ambition, Shipping, Forecasts

  4 Copy quote

• At heart, this job is about continuing to make great theatre for the people of Sheffield - a city I've known and loved since childhood.

  Samuel West

  Jobs, Heart, Cities

  "Selby miners take an early bath" by David Ward, www.theguardian.com. October 28, 2004.

  8 Copy quote

• When you are in a bad production there are two things you can do. You can do your best or you can leave. I chose to do the third thing which was sulk.

  Samuel West

  Two, Thirds, Can Do

  4 Copy quote

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