Quotes from Leo Tolstoy

To understand it, to understand the whole of the Master's will is not in my power. But to do His will, that is written down in my conscience, is in my power; that I know for certain. And when I am fulfilling it I have sureness and peace.

The ideal is within you, and the obstacle to reaching this ideal is also within you. You already possess all the material from which to create your ideal self. —THOMAS CARLYLE

To live an honest life you have to strive hard, get involved, fight, make mistakes, begin something and give it up, begin again, struggle endlessly, and suffer loss. As for tranquility — it's spiritual baseness.

Was ich wünschte, war Bewegung und nicht ein ruhiges Dahinfließen des Lebens. Es verlangte mich nach Aufregungen und Gefahren, nach Selbstaufopferung um eines Gefühlswillen. In mir war ein Überschuss von Kraft, der in unserem stillen Leben keinen Raum zur Bestätigung fand

Children are a torment, nothing more.

They asked a Chinese man, "What is science?" He said, "Science is knowing people." Then they asked, "And what is virtue?" He answered, "Virtue is loving people.

Non penso? Non c'è giorno e ora in cui non pensi e non mi rimproveri perché penso... Perché questi pensieri possono far impazzire. Far impazzire.

Whether he is better or worse off there where he awoke after his death, disappointed, or found there what he expected we shall all soon learn.

Art is a microscope which the artist fixes on the secrets of his soul, and shows to people these secrets which are common to all

Elena era tan bella que no sólo no había en ella sombra alguna de coquetería sino que, al contrario, parecía avergonzarse de su propia belleza, que sobresalía demasiado exultante y victoriosa; diríase que deseaba reducir sus efectos, aunque sin conseguirlo.

Everything within him and around him seemed confused, senseless, and loathsome. But in this very loathing for everything around him, Pierre took a sort of irritating pleasure.

Dac? ar fi s? admitem c? via?a omului poate fi condus? numai de ra?iune, atunci s-ar nimic îns??i posibilitatea vie?ii.

If there were no external means of dulling their sensibilities, half of mankind would shoot themselves without delay, for to live in opposition to one's reason is the most intolerable condition. And that is the condition of all men of the present day. All men of the modern world exist in a state of continual and flagrant antagonism between their conscience and their way of life.

You see a thing may be looked at tragically and turned to a torment, or looked at quite simply, and even gaily. Perhaps you are inclined to take things too tragically.

you have the sweetest of all music in your soul just now.

And it occurs to no one that to admit a greatness not commensurable with the standard of right and wrong is merely to admit one's own nothingness and immeasurable meanness. For us with the standard of good and evil given us by Christ, no human actions are incommensurable. And there is no greatness where simplicity, goodness, and truth are absent.

He continued to read every night, and the more he read the more clearly he understood what God required of him, and how he might live for God. And his heart grew lighter and lighter.

Men are like rivers: the water is the same in each, and alike in all; but every river is narrow here, is more rapid there, here slower, there broader, now clear, now cold, now dull, now warm. It is the same with men. Every man carries in himself the germs of every human quality

All men live not by what they intend for their own well being, but by the love that dwells in others.

There is only one thing in this world which is worth dedicating all your life. This is creating more love among people and destroying barriers which exist between them.

He suffered ever the same unceasing agonies and in his loneliness pondered always on the same insoluble question: "What is this? Can it be that it is Death?" And the inner voice answered: Yes, it is Death. "Why these sufferings?" And the voice answered, For no reason—they just are so.

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

I love you all, and have done no harm to anyone; and what have you done to me?'—said her charming, pathetic, dead face.

The whole world is now for me divided into two halves: one half is she, and there all is joy, hope, light: the other half is everything where she is not, and there is all gloom and darkness