Quotes from Ivan Turgenev

Love, I thought, is stronger than death or the fear of death. Only by it, by love, life holds together and advances.

In 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!

Death's an old joke, but each individual encounters it anew.

Nature creates while destroying, and doesn't care whether it creates or destroys as long as life isn't extinguished, as long as death doesn't lose its rights.

Who among us has the strength to oppose petty egoism, those petty good feelings, pity and remorse?

To desire and expect nothing for oneself and to have profound sympathy for others is genuine holiness.

Whatever a man prays for, he prays for a miracle. Every prayer reduces itself to this: "Great God, grant that twice two be not four."

In the end, nature is inexorable: it has no reason to hurry and, sooner or later, it takes what belongs to it. Unconsciously and inflexibly obedient to its own laws, it doesn't know art, just as it doesn't know freedom, just as it doesn't know goodness.

What a brave man she was, and what a good woman.

To desire and expect nothing for oneself and to have profound sympathy for others is genuine holiness.

If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.

Illness isn't the only thing that spoils the appetite.

You may live a long while with some people and be on friendly terms with them and never speak openly with them from your soul.

Women... can't live with 'em... can't shoot 'em.