Quotes

People should be beautiful in every way—in their faces, in the way they dress, in their thoughts and in their innermost selves.

Money, like vodka, turns a person into an eccentric.

It’s not a matter of old or new forms; a person writes without thinking about any forms, he writes because it flows freely from his soul.

It has become customary to say that a man needs only six feet of land. But a corpse needs six feet, not a person.

In two or three hundred years life on earth will be unimaginably beautiful, astounding. Man needs such a life and if it hasn’t yet appeared, he should begin to anticipate it, wait for it, dream about it, prepare for it. To achieve this, he has to see and know more than did his grandfather and father.

In countries where there is a mild climate, less effort is expended on the struggle with nature and man is kinder and more gentle.

If there's any illness for which people offer many remedies, you may be sure that particular illness is incurable, I think.

I’m in mourning for my life.

I try to catch every sentence, every word you and I say, and quickly lock all these sentences and words away in my literary storehouse because they might come in handy.

I should think that for one who has tasted the joys of creation, no other pleasure could exist.

He is no longer a city dweller who has even once in his life caught a ruff or seen how, on clear and cool autumn days, flocks of migrating thrushes drift over a village. Until his death he will be drawn to freedom.

Great Jove angry is no longer Jove.

Do you remember you shot a seagull? A man came by chance, saw it and destroyed it, just to pass the time.

Dear and most respected bookcase! I welcome your existence, which has for over one hundred years been devoted to the radiant ideals of goodness and justice.

At the door of every happy person there should be a man with a hammer whose knock would serve as a constant reminder of the existence of unfortunate people.

All Russia is our orchard.

Ah, but ignorance is better. At least then there's hope.

After us they’ll fly in hot air balloons, coat styles will change, perhaps they’ll discover a sixth sense and cultivate it, but life will remain the same, a hard life full of secrets, but happy. And a thousand years from now man will still be sighing, “Oh! Life is so hard!” and will still, like now, be afraid of death and not want to die.

A woman can only become a man’s friend in three stages: first, she’s an agreeable acquaintance, then a mistress, and only after that a friend.

“Wine and tobacco destroy the individuality."