Oblomov

. . . and everything , everything is so remarkably, so thrillingly true to life. . . . I've heard extracts from it - the author is a great man! He reminds one of Dante and Shakespeare . . .

Good Lord! cried Oblomov in surprise, sitting up. Going a bit too far, aren't you?

Penkin suddenly fell silent, realizing that he really had gone too far.

Quoted on October 3, 2011

History, too, depressed him terribly: you learn and read that at a certain date the people were overtaken by all sorts of calamities and were unhappy, then they summoned up the strength, worked, took infinite care, endured great hardships, laboured in preparation for better days. At last they came - one would think history might take a rest, but no, clouds gathered again, the edifice crashed down, and again the people had to toil and labour.

Quoted on October 3, 2011

To study! Hasn't he been taught enough? What does he want to learn? He's telling you lies, don't believe him: he deceives you to your face like a small child. Do grown-up people study anything? Hear what he says! Would a Court Councillor want to study? You studied at school, but are you studying now? And does he,' Tarantyev pointed to Alexeyev, 'study? Does that relative of his study? Can you think of any decent man who is studying? Do you imagine he is sitting in a German school and doing his lessons? Rubbish!'

Quoted on October 3, 2011