Quotes from Tolstoy

All the girls in the world were divided into two classes: one class included all the girls in the world except her, and they had all the usual human feelings and were very ordinary girls; while the other class -herself alone- had no weaknesses and was superior to all humanity.

Talent is the capacity to direct concentrated attention upon the subject: "the gift of seeing what others have not seen.

Many people have ideas on how others should change; few people have ideas on how they should change.

I have learned what must be, and therefore have come to see the whole horror of what is.

The way to do away with war is for those who do not want war, who regard participation in it a sin, to refrain from fighting.

I have lived through much and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet, secluded life in the country with possibility of being useful to people.

But any acquisition that doesn't correspond to the labour expended is dishonest

We imagine that as soon as we are torn out of our habitual path all is over- but it is only the beginning of something new and good. As long as there is life there is happiness. There is a great deal, a great deal before us.

Non pas aimée parce que belle, mais belle parce qu'aimée.

Mais ma femme, est-ce que je l'aime? Ce n'est pas que je l'aime, c'est autre chose que je ne sais comment t'expliquer [...] Est-ce que j'aime mon doigt? Je ne l'aime pas, mais essaie un peu de me le couper...

Alexey Alexandorivich had seen nothing striking or improper in the fact that his wife was sitting with Vronsky at a separate table, in eager conversation with him about something. But he noticed that to the rest of the party this appeared to be something striking and improper. He made up his mind that he must speak of it to his wife.

The more is given the less the people will work for themselves, and the less they work the more their poverty will increase.

L'homme a conscience d'être un Dieu et il a raison parce que Dieu est en lui. Il a conscience d'être un cochon et il a également raison parce que le cochon est en lui. Mais il se trompe lorsqu'il prend le cochon pour un Dieu.

Prince Andrew shrugged his shoulders and frowned, as lovers of music do when they hear a false note.

Emek ucuz,ekmek ise pahal?yd?. [?nsan ne ile ya?ar?]

On sentait ce détachement de toutes les choses de ce monde qui terrifie un homme en vie.