We can know only that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom. Leo Tolstoy More Quotes by Leo Tolstoy More Quotes From Leo Tolstoy Christianity, with its doctrine of humility, of forgiveness, of love, is incompatible with the state, with its haughtiness, its violence, its punishment, its wars Leo Tolstoy christianlovewar In all human sorrow nothing gives comfort but love and faith, and that in the sight of Christ's compassion for us no sorrow is trifiling. Leo Tolstoy compassionsightgiving So long as people do not consider all men as their brothers and do not consider human life as the most sacred thing, which rather than destroy they must consider it their first and foremost duty to support; that is so long as people do not behave towards one another in a religious manner, they will always ruin one another's lives for the sake of personal gain. Leo Tolstoy brotherreligiousmen War is like a game of chess ... but with this little difference, that in chess you may think over each move as long as you please and are not limited for time, and with this difference too, that a knight is always stronger than a pawn, and two pawns are always stronger than one, while in war a battalion is sometimes stronger than a division and sometimes weaker than a company. The relative strength of bodies of troops can never be known to anyone.... Success never depends, and never will depend, on position, or equipment, or even on numbers, and least of all on position. Leo Tolstoy warmovingthinking Remember that there is only one important time and it is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future? The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life. Leo Tolstoy dominionimportantsides Art is not, as the metaphysicians say, the manifestation of some mysterious idea of beauty or God; it is not, as the aesthetical physiologists say, a game in which man lets off his excess of stored-up energy; it is not the expression of man's emotions by external signs; it is not the production of pleasing objects; and, above all, it is not pleasure; but it is a means of union among men, joining them together in the same feelings, and indispensable for the life and progress toward well-being of individuals and of humanity. Leo Tolstoy menmeanart But if Christianity really gives peace, and we really want peace, patriotism is a survival from barbarous times, which must not only not be evoked and educated, as we now do, but which must be eradicated by all means, by means of preaching, persuasion, contempt, and ridicule. Leo Tolstoy patriotismsurvivalmean The idea of beauty is the fundamental idea of everything. In the world we see only distortions of the fundamental idea, but art, by imagination, may lift itself to the height of this idea. Art is therefore akin to creation. Leo Tolstoy imaginationideasart Since corrupt people unite amongst themselves to constitute a force, then honest people must do the same. Leo Tolstoy honestforcepeople It is terrible when people do not know God, but it is worse when people identify as God what is not God. Leo Tolstoy knowing-godterriblepeople I must have physical exercise, or my temper'll certainly be ruined. Leo Tolstoy injurypainexercise Historians are like deaf people who go on answering questions that no one has asked them. Leo Tolstoy humorfunnyhistory Everything intelligent is so boring. Leo Tolstoy intelligenceboringintelligent The truth is that the State is a conspiracy designed not only to exploit, but above all to corrupt its citizens... Henceforth, I shall never serve any government anywhere. Leo Tolstoy truth-iscitizensgovernment But every acquisition that is disproportionate to the labor spent on it is dishonest. Leo Tolstoy acquisitionlabor Human science fragments everything in order to understand it, kills everything in order to examine it. Leo Tolstoy fragmentsorderscience It's all God's will: you can die in your sleep, and God can spare you in battle. Leo Tolstoy sparesbattlesleep Rivers are places that renew our spirit, connect us with our past, and link us directly with the flow and rhythm of the natural world. Leo Tolstoy riverswaterpast These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw nothing but the sand; yet there were brighter moments when she felt nothing but joy, saw nothing but the gold. Leo Tolstoy sawsgoldjoy Three things are needed to educate the peasantry: schools, schools, and schools. Leo Tolstoy threeneededschool
