In Varenka, she realized that one has but to forget oneself and love others, and one will be calm, happy, and noble.

There can be no peace for us, only misery, and the greatest happiness.

Every time I tried to express my most heartfelt desires to be morally good I met with contempt and ridicule; and as soon as I would give in to vile passions I was praised and encouraged. Ambition, love of power, self-interest, lechery, pride, anger, vengeance-all of it was highly esteemed.

Perfection is impossible without humility. Why should I strive for perfection, if I am already good enough?

Patriotism is the principle that will justify the training of wholesale murderers.

And yet, now that years have passed, I recall it and wonder that it could distress me so much. It will be the same thing, too, with this trouble. Time will go by and I shall not mind about this either.

He had the unlucky capacity many men have of seeing and believing in the possibility of goodness and truth, but of seeing the evil and falsehood of life too clearly to take any serious part in it.