Anton Chekhov Quotes, Art Quotes, Writing Quotes

Cross out as many adjectives and adverbs as you can. ... It is comprehensible when I write: "The man sat on the grass," because it is clear and does not detain one's attention. On the other hand, it is difficult to figure out and hard on the brain if I write: "The tall, narrow-chested man of medium height and with a red beard sat down on the green grass that had already been trampled down by the pedestrians, sat down silently, looking around timidly and fearfully." The brain can't grasp all that at once, and art must be grasped at once, instantaneously.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Art Quotes , Writing Quotes

A sweet lie is more gracious for us than a virulent but real truth.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Sweet Quotes , Real Quotes

Watching a woman make Russian pancakes, you might think that she was calling on the spirits or extracting from the batter the philosopher's stone.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Thinking Quotes , Calling Quotes

The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Art Quotes , Roles Quotes

People's destinies are so different. Some people drag along, unnoticed and boring—they're all alike, and they're all unhappy. Then there are others, like for instance you—you're one in a million. You're happy—

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Destiny Quotes , People Quotes

Everyone judges plays as if they were very easy to write. They don't know that it is hard to write a good play, and twice as hardand tortuous to write a bad one.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Writing Quotes , Play Quotes

All the great sages are as despotic as generals, and as ignorant and as indelicate as generals, because they feel secure of impunity.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Sage Quotes

Women writers should write a lot if they want to write. Take the English women, for example. What amazing workers.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Writing Quotes , Example Quotes

The more simply we look at ticklish questions, the more placid will be our lives and relationships.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Looks Quotes , Ticklish Quotes

Ah, Caviar! I keep on eating it, but can never get my fill. Like olives. It's a lucky thing it's not salty.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Lucky Quotes , Caviar Quotes

Lermontov died at age twenty-eight and wrote more than have you and I put together. Talent is recognizable not only by quality, but also by the quantity it yields.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Yield Quotes , Eight Quotes

You've only got to begin to do anything to find out how few honest, honourable people there are. Sometimes, when I can't sleep, I think: "Oh Lord, you've given us huge forests, infinite fields, and endless horizons, and we, living here, ought really to be giants.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Sleep Quotes , Thinking Quotes

Why are we worn out? Why do we, who start out so passionate, brave, noble, believing, become totally bankrupt by the age of thirty or thirty-five? Why is it that one is extinguished by consumption, another puts a bullet in his head, a third seeks oblivion in vodka, cards, a fourth, in order to stifle fear and anguish, cynically tramples underfoot the portrait of his pure, beautiful youth? Why is it that, once fallen, we do not try to rise, and, having lost one thing, we do not seek another? Why?

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Beautiful Quotes , Believe Quotes

I am now and have always been a stranger to the realm of practical matters.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Ignorance Quotes , Matter Quotes

Solomon made a big mistake when he asked for wisdom.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Wisdom Quotes , Mistake Quotes

When one sees one of the romantic creatures before him he imagines he is looking at some holy being, so wonderful that its one breath could dissolve him in a sea of a thousand charms and delights; but if one looks into the soul -- it's nothing but a common crocodile.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Women Quotes , Sea Quotes

There is something beautiful, touching and poetic when one person loves more than the other, and the other is indifferent.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Beautiful Quotes , Touching Quotes

To believe in God is not hard. Inquisitors, Byron and Arakcheev believed in Him. No, believe in man!

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , God Quotes , Faith Quotes

A good upbringing means not that you won't spill sauce on the tablecloth, but that you won't notice it when someone else does.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Mean Quotes , Doe Quotes

I would like to be a free artist and nothing else, and I regret God has not given me the strength to be one.

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Tags : Anton Chekhov Quotes , Regret Quotes , Artist Quotes