As soon as any one is near me, his personality disturbs my self-complacency and restricts my freedom. In twenty-four hours I begin to hate the best of men: one because he's too long over his dinner; another because he has a cold and keeps on blowing his nose. I become hostile to people the moment they come close to me. But it has always happened that the more I detest men individually the more ardent becomes my love for humanity.

Learning to love is hard and we pay dearly for it. It takes hard work and a long apprenticeship, for it is not just for a moment that we must learn to love, but forever.

The Russian soul is a dark place.

I cannot understand why the world is arranged as it is.

Until you have become really, in actual fact, as brother to everyone, brotherhood will not come to pass.

You must accept it as it is, and hence accept all consequences. A wall is indeed a wall.

What is the use of Christ's words, unless we set an example?