As it is so strangely ordained in this world, what is amusing will turn into being gloomy, if you stand too long before it, and then God knows what ideas may not stray into the mind... Why is it that even in moments of unthinking, careless gaiety a different and strange mood comes upon one?

The experience of ages has shown that a man who works on the land is purer, nobler, higher, and more moral... Agriculture should be at the basis of everything. That's my idea.

There are people who exist in this world not like entities but like the speckles or spots on something.

Also, though not over-elderly, he was not over-young.

Perfect nonsense goes on in the world. Sometimes there is no plausibility at all

In the course of reading he [Alexander Pushkin] became more and more melancholy and finally became completely gloomy. When the reading was over he uttered in a voice full of sorrow: "Goodness, how sad is our Russia!"

There are certain words which are nearer and dearer to a man than any others.