Quotes About Society

But instead of all that, here he was—the rich husband of an unfaithful wife, a retired gentleman-in-waiting, who liked to eat, drink, and, unbuttoning himself, to denounce the government a little, a member of the Moscow English Club, and a universally beloved member of Moscow society.

Influence in society, however, is capital which has to be economized if it is to last.

Yashvin, a gambler and a rake, a man not merely without moral principles, but of immoral principles, Yashvin was Vronsky's greatest friend in the regiment.

As always happens when women lead lonely lives for any length of time without male society, on Anatole's appearance all the three women of Prince Bolkonski's household felt that their life had not been real till then. Their powers of reasoning, feeling, and observing immediately increased tenfold, and their life, which seemed to have been passed in darkness, was suddenly lit up by a new brightness, full of significance.

Influence in society, however, is a capital which has to be economized if it is to last. Prince

Where there's law there's injustice," put in the little man.

It's just this, my dear boy. One must do one of two things: either admit that the existing order of society is just, and then stick up for one's rights in it; or acknowledge that you are enjoying unjust privileges, as I do, and then enjoy them and be satisfied.

in their eyes the position of an unsuccessful lover of a girl, or of any woman free to marry, might be ridiculous. But the position of a man pursuing a married woman, and, regardless of everything, staking his life on drawing her into adultery, has something fine and grand about it, and can never be ridiculous;

It is clear that he is not an exceptional evil-doer, but a most ordinary boy; every one sees it—and that he has become what he is simply because he got into circumstances that create such characters, and, therefore, to prevent such a boy from going wrong the circumstances that create these unfortunate beings must be done away with.

In our days," continued Vera—mentioning "our days" as people of limited intelligence are fond of doing, imagining that they have discovered and appraised the peculiarities of "our days" and that human characteristics change with the times—

Anna married an older man of position, as young women had done for centuries before and continue to do now.

The practically nude Hélène was sitting near her, smiling at everyone with the same smile and Natasha gave Boris just such a smile.

Anna was entering the drawing room. Holding herself extremely straight as always, with her quick, firm and light step, which distinguished her from other society women,

There is only one way to improve society, which is for all of us to improve ourselves. For this to happen, you need do only one thing: improve your inner self.

Înainte m? sim?eam stingher,chiar panicat,când vedeam o femeie dichisit?,în rochie de bal,dar acum mi-e de-a dreptul groaz?,v?d în ea ceva periculos pentru b?rba?i,ceva ce contravine legilor ?i îmi vine s? chem poli?ia,s? cer protec?ie împotriva pericolului,s? cer ca obiectul periculos s? fie luat de acolo,îndep?rtat.

The worst mistake which was ever made in this world was the separation of political science from ethics. —PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

Todo se hacía con las manos limpias, con camisas planchadas, con palabras francesas y, sobre todo, en la más alta sociedad, es decir, con la aquiescencia de las personas más influyentes.

He talked to her as people commonly do talk in society—all sorts of nonsense, but nonsense to which he could not help attaching a special meaning in her case. Although he said nothing to her that he could not have said before everybody, he felt that she was becoming more and more dependent upon him, and the more he felt this, the better he liked it, and the tenderer was his feeling for her.

It's as if I had been going downhill when I thought I was going uphill. That's how it was. In society's opinion I was heading uphill, but in equal measure life was slipping away from me.

That's just the point, my dear fellow, that cases may arise when the Government does not fulfill the will of its citizens and then Society announces its own will.

It was evident that he not only knew everyone in the drawing room, but had found them to be so tiresome that it wearied him to look at or listen to them.

So much the worse for those who follow the fashion. The only happy marriages I know are marriages of convenience." "Yes, but then how often the happiness of the convenient marriages flies away like dust just because that passion turns up that they have refused to recognize," said Vronsky.

Government authority, even if it does suppress private violence, always introduces into the life of men fresh forms of violence, which tend to become greater and greater in proportion to the duration and strength of the government.

As a criminal led out to execution knows that he is about to die, yet still looks around and straightens the hat he has put on askew, so Moscow involuntarily went on with her usual life, though she knew that the time of her destruction was near, when all the conventions of life, which people were accustomed to obey, would be broken.