Anton Chekhov

You are right in demanding that an artist approach his work consciously, but you are confusing two concepts: the solution of a problem and the correct formulation of a problem. Only the second is required of the artist.

Once a man gets a fixed idea, there's nothing to be done.

[In] death at least there would be one profit; it would no longer be necessary to eat, to drink, to pay taxes, or to [offend] others; and as a man lies in his grave not one year, but hundreds and thousands of years, the profit was enormous. The life of man was, in short, a loss, and only his death a profit.

In nature a repulsive caterpillar turns into a lovely butterfly. But with human beings it is the other way round: a lovely butterfly turns into a repulsive caterpillar.

Brevity - the sister of talent.

The wealthy are always surrounded by hangers-on; science and art are as well.

The sea has neither meaning nor pity.

Reason and justice tell me there's more love for humanity in electricity and steam than in chastity and vegetarianism.

No matter how corrupt and unjust a convict may be, he loves fairness more than anything else. If the people placed over him are unfair, from year to year he lapses into an embittered state characterized by an extreme lack of faith.

No psychologist should pretend to understand what he does not understand... Only fools and charlatans know everything and understand nothing.

Advertising is the very essence of democracy.

If you cry 'forward', you must without fail make plain in what direction to go.

Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit.

I promise to be a splendid husband, but give me a wife who, like the moon, won't in my sky every day...

If you are afraid of loneliness, do not marry.

Happiness does not await us all. One needn't be a prophet to say that there will be more grief and pain than serenity and money. That is why we must hang on to one another.

A tree is beautiful, but what's more, it has a right to life; like water, the sun and the stars, it is essential. Life on earth is inconceivable without trees. Forests create climate, climate influences peoples' character, and so on and so forth. There can be neither civilization nor happiness if forests crash down under the axe, if the climate is harsh and severe, if people are also harsh and severe. ... What a terrible future!

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.

I was so drunk the whole time that I took bottles for girls and girls for bottles.

It is always "Youth, youth," when there is nothing else to be said.

Anna Petrovna (to Shabelsky): You can't make a simple joke without an injection of venom. You are a poisonous man. Joking apart, Count, you're very poisonous. It's hideously boring to live with you. You're always grumpy, complaining, you find everyone bad, good for nothing. Tell me frankly, Count, did you ever speak well of anyone?