Quotes by Denis Ivanovici Fonvizin

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Honesty is the soul of marital harmony.

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Should we leave the wealth to the children? If they are taught, they will manage without wealth, and if your son is stupid, no wealth will help him. Having money does not mean having dignity. A golden rod is still a gold rod.

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Only one kind of honor should flatter a man - that of the soul, and of soul honor only he is worthy who has not bought his rank, nor has he become noble as a result of rank.

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It is impossible not to love the rules of virtue. They bring happiness.

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The soulless ignoramus resembles an animal. His most insignificant act leads to murder.

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He is not rich who counts his money in order to hide it, but he who counts his surplus in order to help those who lack the bare necessities.

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Love for your husband should not be like friendship, but friendship with him should be like love. It's much more durable that way.

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Where dignities begin, sincerity disappears.

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Science in the hands of depraved man is a terrible weapon for evil. Education only elevates the virtuous soul.

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Just as your husband listens to his reason, so you must listen to your husband and you will have a full life.

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The honest man envies deeds, not ranks; ranks are often earned by pleading, and genuine honor is earned. It is much more honest to be shunned but innocent than solicited but unmerited.

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Good growth gives the true price of the mind. Without it, the smart man is a monster.

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The bravery of the heart is proved in the moment of attack, and the steadfast courage of the soul, in all trials, in all situations of life. There is no difference between the courage of the soldier who, in time of attack, risks his life, and the courage of the statesman who speaks the truth to the emperor, daring to arouse his anger. The judge who, unafraid of the vengeance and threats of the powerful, renders justice to the powerless is, in my eyes, a hero.

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Mind and science obey fashion as much as earrings and buttons.

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He who always mentions God carries the devil in his soul.

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If you want to be honored throughout your life, you must dedicate your whole being to the country.

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Happy is he who keeps his feelings even in old age.

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I evaluate the measure of nobility by the number of deeds that a famous man has done for the good of his country. And not according to the number of deeds done for one's own benefit from smoking; not by the number of people who make him an antechamber, but by the number of those who are satisfied with his behavior and deeds.

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Conscience, like a true friend, prevents before the judge can punish.

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Thank God they don't tax liars. How many would have reached the wooden hoe!

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The heart of man will always remain the same, whether in Paris or in Russia it cannot deceive.

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The young man is like wax.

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Many absurdities are published nowadays, not because the number of heretics has increased, but because the number of fools has increased.

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The lazy man is afraid of work even when he is working, and the lazy man is generally afraid of doing anything. The lazy person is lazy more for physical reasons, and the lazy person is lazy more for soul reasons.

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In the eyes of thinking men, the honest man, but without high rank, is a respectable person: virtue can replace anything, but nothing can replace virtue.

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In human ignorance it is comforting to regard as absurd the things you do not know.

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Bribery is impossible to prohibit. How to solve all problems based on salary alone?

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Being married is the same as being bound.

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Everything is in the imagination. Walk in the footsteps of nature and you will not be poor. Listen to the mouth of the world and you will never be rich.

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Any man can find in himself enough strength to be virtuous. We must want a thing strongly, and it will be easy for us not to do that which would draw upon us the reproaches of conscience.

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Two thousand serfs without boyar dignity will remain two thousand serfs, and there can be no dignity without them.

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Even the whole of Siberia cannot contain the whims of a man.

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The bad disposition of dishonorable people need not grieve us. Evil is never wished to those who are despised, but usually to those who have the right to despise. Men are not envious only of riches, and not only of nobility: and he that is full of virtue has his share of envious people.

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The woman usually behaves chastely with capable people, and less often with the unsophisticated.

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Love rarely conquers greed.

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Greed does the same wonders to man as love.

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How merciful is fate! She strives to bring together people who think the same, have the same tastes, the same morals.

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How not to be satisfied with the heart when the conscience is clean!

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How can you believe that God, who knows everything, does not know our rank table?

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Have heart and soul and you will always be human.

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I don't even know what this world of ours was created for.

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In high society there are a lot of mean people.

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It is hard to live without a mind; what can you get without it?

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A noble situation without noble concerns means nothing.

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Is he happy who is happy alone? Imagine a man who would direct all his nobility to personal good alone. Which would touch him to such an extent that he would no longer want anything. And then his whole soul would be surprised by a single feeling, by a fear: that sooner or later he would collapse. Should it be the one who no longer wants anything and who only fears?