Fyodor Quotes

“According to my rule, you can find in every woman something - damn it! - something extraordinarily interesting, something you won't find in any other woman. Only you must know how to find it - that's the point! That requires talent! For me ugly women do not exist: the very fact that she's a woman is half the attraction for me- but how could you understand that? Even in old maids you sometimes find something so attractive that you can't help marvelling at the damn fools who've let them grow old without noticing it! The first thing to do with barefooted girls and ugly women is to take them by surprise - that's how one should deal with them. You didn't know that, did you? They must be surprised till they're enraptured, till they're transfixed, till they're ashamed that such a gentleman should have fallen in love with such a swarthy creature. What's so wonderful is that so long as there are peasants and gentlemen in the world - and there always will be - there will also be such lovely little scullery maids and their masters - that's all one needs for one's happiness.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

“Perhaps," you will add, grinning, "those who have never been slapped will also not understand" - thereby politely hinting that I, too, may have experienced a slap in my life, and am therefore speaking as a connoisseur.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment

“It was more difficult not to
understand than to understand.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, A Nasty Anecdote

“Si se acabase el mundo y alguien preguntase a los hombres: «Veamos, ¿qué habéis sacado en limpio de vuestra vida y qué conclusión definitiva habéis deducido de ella?», podrían los hombres mostrar en silencio el Quijote y decir luego: «Ésta es mi conclusión sobre la vida y... ¿podríais condenarme por ella?”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, A Writer's Diary 1873-1881