The current generation now sees everything clearly, it marvels at the errors, it laughs at the folly of its ancestors, not seeing that this chronicle is all overscored by divine fire, that every letter of it cries out, that from everywhere the piercing finger is pointed at it, at this current generation; but the current generation laughs and presumptuously, proudly begins a series of new errors, at which their descendants will also laugh afterwards.

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We have the marvelous gift of making everything insignificant.

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He who has talent in him must be purer in soul than anyone else. Another will be forgiven much, but to him it will not be forgiven. A man who leaves the house in bright, festive clothes needs only one drop of mud splashed from under a wheel, and people all surround him, point their fingers at him, and talk about his slovenliness, while the same people ignore many spots on other passers-by who are wearing everyday clothes. For on everyday clothes the spots do not show.

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Everywhere across whatever sorrows of which our life is woven, some radiant joy will gaily flash past.

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It is no use to blame the looking glass if your face is awry.

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Nothing could be more pleasant than to live in solitude, enjoy the spectacle of nature, and occasionally read some book.

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But there is nothing enduring in the world, and therefore even joy in the second minute is already not as acute as in the first; in the third minute it becomes still weaker and finally merges unnoticeably with the usual condition of the soul, as a circle on the water, caused by the fall of a pebble, finally merges with the smooth surface.

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Keep not money, but keep good people's company.

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I saw that I'd get nowhere on the straight path, and that to go crookedly was straighter.

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Whatever you may say, the body depends on the soul.

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