I here ask pardon of all my compatriots for everything of which I have been guilty towards them. I know that, by my ill-considered and immature works, I have brought distress to many and that I have even provoked others to attack me openly and, in general, have produced displeasure in many.
Interpretation
The quote expresses a heartfelt apology and acknowledgment of one's wrongdoings that have harmed others.
In this quote, Nikolai Gogol reflects on the impact of his actions on his fellow compatriots, taking responsibility for the distress and displeasure he has caused. This introspective admission of guilt reveals a deep understanding of the consequences of one's actions and the desire for reconciliation, emphasizing the significance of accountability in relationships within society.
In practice
During a public speech, one might quote Gogol to emphasize the importance of acknowledging past mistakes.
At the end of the table, the secretary was reading the decision in some case, but in such a mournful and monotonous voice, that the condemned man himself would have fallen asleep while listening to it. The judge, no doubt, would have been the first of all to do so, had he not entered into an engrossing conversation while it was going on.
You can't imagine how stupid the whole world has grown nowadays.
Two turtle doves will show thee Where my cold ashes lie And sadly murmuring tell thee How in tears I did die
Nothing could be more pleasant than to live in solitude, enjoy the spectacle of nature, and occasionally read some book.
If you have not first pondered the entire situation of the man whom you wish to help, and if you have not brought with you instructions for him to follow henceforth in leading his life, he will not receive great good from your help.
There are certain words which are nearer and dearer to a man than any others.
Ordinary life goes on--that has saved many a man's reason.
The Word of God became man, that thou mayest learn from man how man may become God.
A certain type of person strives to become a master over all, and to extend his force, his will to power, and to subdue all that resists it. But he encounters the power of others, and comes to an arrangement, a union, with those that are like him: thus they work together to serve the will to power. And the process goes on.
The freedom to criticize judges and other public officials is necessary to a vibrant democracy. The problem comes when healthy criticism is replaced with more destructive intimidation and sanctions.
We are not a nation that says, 'Don’t ask, don’t tell.' We are a nation that says, 'Out of many, we are one.' We are a nation that welcomes the service of every patriot. We are a nation that believes that all men and women are created equal. Those are the ideals that generations have fought for. Those are the ideals that we upheld today.
The season when to come, and when to go, to sing, or cease to sing, we never know.
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