131 Quotes by Mikhail Lermontov

Afraid of decision, I buried my finer feelings in the depths of my heart and they died there.

I was ready to love the whole world, but no one understood me, and I learned to hate.

I prefer to doubt everything. Such a disposition does not preclude a resolute character. On the contrary, as far as I am concerned, I always advance more boldly when I don’t know what is waiting me for me. After all, nothing worse than death can happen-and death you can’t escape!

The history of a man’s soul, even the pettiest soul, is hardly less interesting and useful than the history of a whole people; especially when the former is the result of the observations of a mature mind upon itself, and has been written without any egoistical desire of arousing sympathy or astonishment.

It is sad to see a young man’s fondest hopes and dreams shattered when the rose-colured veil is plucked away and he sees the actions and feelings of men for what they are. But he still has the hope of replacing his old illusions with others, just as fleeting, but also just as sweet.

His face blazed, and his eyes began to glitter. “Fine!” he replied. “I despise myself, and I hate you. If you don’t kill me, I’ll cut your throat one night around some corner. There isn’t room on this earth for both of us.” I fired. When the smoke had cleared, Grushnitsky was not on the ledge. Only a light column of dust was still whirling on the edge of the precipice. Everyone shouted in unison. “Finita la comedia!”25 I told the doctor.

Out of life’s storm I carried only a few ideas – and not one feeling.

In people’s eyes I readPages of malice and sin.

I have carried only a few ideas out of life’s storm – and not one feeling. I have long lived according to the head, not the heart. I consider and analyze my personal passions and actions with a strict curiosity, but without sympathy. There are two people within me: one who lives in the full sense of the word, and the other who reasons and judges him.