“An honorable man does not throw a stone into the well where he quenches his thirst!” Samarkand

They insist that an author should write in the strictest, purest and noblest language: in short, they expect the Russian language to drop from the clouds, already refined, and that it should come naturally to the lips, so that all they have to do is to open their mouth and stick out their tongue. It goes without saying, of course, that the feminine half of the human species is very wise; but it must be confessed that our respected readers are even wiser. Dead Souls

“A wise prince ought to . . . never in peaceful times stand idle, but increase his resources with industry in such a way that they may be available to him in adversity.” The Prince

Men are still men. The despot's wickedness, Comes of ill teaching, and of power's excess-- Comes of the purple he from childhood wears, Slaves would be tyrants if the chance were theirs. The Vanished City