People without firmness of character love to make up a fate for themselves; that relieves them of the necessity of having their own will and of taking responsibility for themselves. -Ivan Turgenev Brainy
In days of doubt, in days of dreary musings on my country's fate, you alone are my comfort and support, oh great, powerful, righteous, and free Russian language! -Ivan Turgenev Alone
Time sometimes flies like a bird, sometimes crawls like a snail; but a man is happiest when he does not even notice whether it passes swiftly or slowly. -Ivan Turgenev Time
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 Poetry
To desire and expect nothing for oneself and to have profound sympathy for others is genuine holiness. -Ivan Turgenev Sympathy
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 Freedom
Who among us has the strength to oppose petty egoism, those petty good feelings, pity and remorse? -Ivan Turgenev Strength
