In my case there was no first love. I began with the second. Ivan Turgenev More Quotes by Ivan Turgenev More Quotes From Ivan Turgenev Art, if one employs this term in the broad sense that includes poetry within its realm, is an art of creation laden with ideals, located at the very core of the life of a people, defining the spiritual and moral shape of that life. Ivan Turgenev creativity spiritual art Nature cares nothing for logic, our human logic: she has her own, which we do not recognize and do not acknowledge until we are crushed under its wheel Ivan Turgenev wheels care nature Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man's the workman in it. Ivan Turgenev atheism nature men That is what poetry can do. It speaks to us of what does not exist, which is not only better than what exists, but even more like the truth. Ivan Turgenev speak doe can-do 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 poet secret roots No matter how often you knock at nature's door, she won't answer in words you can understand--for Nature is dumb. She'll vibrate and moan like a violin, but you mustn't expect a song. Ivan Turgenev nature doors song There's something tragic in the fate of almost every person--it's just that the tragic is often concealed from a person by the banal surface of life.... A woman will complain of indigestion and not even know that what she means is that her whole life has been shattered. Ivan Turgenev fate life mean The word tomorrow was invented for indecisive people and for children. Ivan Turgenev tomorrow children people Life deceives everyone except the individual who doesn't contemplate it, the individual who demands nothing from it, the individual who serenely accepts its few gifts and serenely makes the most of them. Ivan Turgenev demand deception life He went to bed early, but could not fall asleep. He was haunted by sad and gloomy reflections about the inevitable end- death. These thoughts were familiar to him, many times had he turned them over this way and that, first shuddering at the probability of annihilation, then welcoming it, almost rejoicing in it. Suddenly a peculiarly familiar agitation took possession of him... He mused awhile, sat down at the table, and wrote down the following lines in his sacred copy-book, without a single correction. Ivan Turgenev reflection book fall I was afraid of looking into my heart...afraid of thinking seriously about anything...I did not want to know whether I was loved, and I did not want to admit to myself that I was not loved. Ivan Turgenev want heart thinking A withered maple leaf has left its branch and is falling to the ground; its movements resemble those of a butterfly in flight. Isn't it strange? The saddest and deadest of things is yet so like the gayest and most vital of creatures? Ivan Turgenev butterfly movement fall Nothing is worse and more hurtful than a happiness that comes too late. It can give no pleasure, yet it deprives you of that most precious of rights - the right to swear and curse at your fate! Ivan Turgenev fate rights giving I'm through with Tolstoy. He has ceased to exist for me.... If I eat a bowl of soup and like it, I know by that fact alone and with absolute certainty that Tolstoy will find it bad, and vice versa. Ivan Turgenev soup vices facts There are some moments in life, some feelings; one can only point to them and pass by. Ivan Turgenev moments feelings Tempered, gradual animation, the methodical restrain of sensations and energies, the equilibrium of sickness and health in each creature--this is nature's essence, its immutable law, this is what it's based on and what it adheres to. Ivan Turgenev health nature law I look up to heaven only when I want to sneeze. Ivan Turgenev want heaven looks We Russians have assigned ourselves no other task in life but the cultivation of our own personalities, and when we're barely past childhood, we set to work to cultivate them, those unfortunate personalities. Ivan Turgenev childhood personality past I never started from ideas but always from character. Ivan Turgenev writing character ideas Belonging to oneself--the whole essence of life lies in that. Ivan Turgenev freedom life lying
