I’ve become convinced that every person should treat himself strictly and even rudely and distrustfully; it’s difficult to tame the beast in oneself.
IVAN TURGENEVI’ve become convinced that every person should treat himself strictly and even rudely and distrustfully; it’s difficult to tame the beast in oneself.
IVAN TURGENEVWhatever man prays for, he prays for a miracle. Every prayer reduces itself.
IVAN TURGENEVLove, I thought, is stronger than death or the fear of death. Only by it, by love, life holds together and advances.
IVAN TURGENEVEven nightingales can’t be fed on fairy tales.
IVAN TURGENEVWhat’s important is that twice two is four and all the rest’s nonsense.
IVAN TURGENEVThe fact is that previously they were simply dunces and now they’ve suddenly become nihilists.
IVAN TURGENEVI’m incapable of describing the feeling with which I left. I wouldn’t want it ever to be repeated, but I would have considered myself unfortunate if I’d never experienced it.
IVAN TURGENEVWe Russians have assigned ourselves no other task in life but the cultivation of our own personalities, and when we’re barely past childhood, we set to work to cultivate them, those unfortunate personalities.
IVAN TURGENEVIn days of doubt, in days of dreary musings on my country’s fate, you alone are my comfort and support, oh great, powerful, righteous, and free Russian language!
IVAN TURGENEVI walked in the meadows of green grieving for my life.
IVAN TURGENEVI share no man’s opinions; I have my own.
IVAN TURGENEVWhat a magnificent body, how I should like to see it on the dissecting table.
IVAN TURGENEVDon’t force me into saying what I don’t want to say, and what I won’t say.
IVAN TURGENEVOne may speak about anything on earth with fire, with enthusiasm, with ecstasy, but one only speaks about oneself with avidity.
IVAN TURGENEVThere is a sweetness in being the sole source, the autocratic and irresponsible cause of the greatest joy and profoundest pain to another.
IVAN TURGENEVAll human beings hang by a thread, an abyss may open under their feet at any moment, and yet they have to go and invent all sorts of difficulties for themselves and spoil their lives.
IVAN TURGENEV