Quotes by Ivan Turgenev

A poet must be a psychologist, but a secret one: he should know and feel the roots of phenomena but present only the phenomena themselves in full bloom or as they fade away. (Ivan Turgenev)

Circumstances define us; they force us onto one road or another, and then they punish us for it. (Ivan Turgenev)

Death is an old joke, but it comes fresh to everyone. (Ivan Turgenev)

However much you knock at natures door, she will never answer you in comprehensible words. (Ivan Turgenev)

I agree with no one's opinion. I have some of my own. (Ivan Turgenev)

In days of doubt, in days of dreary musings on my countrys fate, you alone are my comfort and support, oh great, powerful, righteous, and free Russian language. (Ivan Turgenev)

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. (Ivan Turgenev)

Most people can't understand how others can blow their noses differently than they do. (Ivan Turgenev)

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. (Ivan Turgenev)

One may speak about anything on earth with fire, with enthusiasm, with ecstasy, but one only speaks about oneself with avidity. (Ivan Turgenev)