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How easy it is, Doctor, to be a philosopher on paper, and how hard it is in life!

— Anton Chekhov The Seagull (1896)

Как легко, доктор, быть философом на бумаге и как это трудно на деле!

Original text (Russian)

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More quotes by Anton Chekhov

People should be beautiful in every way—in their faces, in the way they dress, in their thoughts and in their innermost selves.

Uncle Vanya (1897)

It’s not a matter of old or new forms; a person writes without thinking about any forms, he writes because it flows freely from his soul.

The Seagull (1896)

A woman can only become a man’s friend in three stages: first, she’s an agreeable acquaintance, then a mistress, and only after that a friend.

Uncle Vanya (1897)

There should be more sincerity and heart in human relations, more silence and simplicity in our interactions. Be rude when you’re angry, laugh when something is funny, and answer when you’re asked.

You ask “What is life?” That is the same as asking “What is a carrot?” A carrot is a carrot and we know nothing more.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Anton Chekhov (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.