Lev Tolstoy

Russia
9 Sep 1828 // 20 Nov 1910
Writer

Quotes

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There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth
The two most powerful warriors are patience and time
The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity
The law condemns and punishes only actions within certain definite and narrow limits; it thereby justifies, in a way, all similar actions that lie outside those limits
Our body is a machine for living. It is organized for that, it is its nature. Let life go on in it unhindered and let it defend itself
One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken
Music is the shorthand of emotion
Man lives consciously for himself, but is an unconscious instrument in the attainment of the historic, universal, aims of humanity
It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness
In all history there is no war which was not hatched by the governments, the governments alone, independent of the interests of the people, to whom war is always pernicious even when successful
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On Anger: "For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind."
Essays
On Destiny: "Our destiny exercises its influence over us even when, as yet, we have not learned its nature: it is our future that lays down the law of our today."
Human, All Too Human
On Friendship: "A crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love."
Essays