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Eugene Onegin Quotes

Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin

"He who hath lived and living, thinks, Must e’en despise his kind at last."
"All of us of education A something somehow have obtained, Thus, praised be God! a reputation With us is easily attained."
"The most industrious man alive May yet be studious of his nails; What boots it with the age to strive? Custom the despot soon prevails."
"But upon all that Eugene knew I have no leisure here to dwell, But say he was a genius who In one thing really did excel."
"When but a boy he Olga loved Unknown as yet the aching heart, He witnessed tenderly and moved Her girlish gaiety and sport."
"We all of us of education A something somehow have obtained, Thus, praised be God! a reputation With us is easily attained."
"An exile from their troublous reign, Eugene would speak regarding these. Thrice happy who their agonies Hath suffered but indifferent grown."
"The gulf between them was so vast, Debate commanded ample food."
"Eugene designed with me to start And visit many a foreign clime, But Fortune cast our lots apart For a protracted space of time."
"Habit was given us in distress By Heaven in lieu of happiness."
"Meantime, drink deeply of the flow of frivolous existence, friends; Its insignificance I know and care but little for its ends."
"The less we love a lady fair, the easier 'tis to gain her grace, and the more surely we ensnare her in the pitfalls which we place."
"A true Childe Harold my Eugene to idle musing was a prey; At morn an icy bath within he sat, and then the livelong day."
"But little warmth the fireplace lends, tobacco smoke the flue ascends, the goblet still is bubbling bright—outside descend the mists of night."
"Terror assails her. Hastily Tattiana would attempt to fly, she cannot—then impatiently she strains her throat to force a cry—she cannot."
"A heavy goose on scarlet feet, thinking to float upon the stream, descends the bank with care extreme, but staggers, slips, and falls."
"He was beloved: or say at least, he thought so, and existence charmed. The credulous indeed are blest."
"What can be drearier than the house, wherein the miserable wife deplores a most unworthy spouse and leads a solitary life?"
"Alas! my stomach it betrays with its exhilarating flow, and I confess that now-a-days I prefer sensible Bordeaux."
"The morn arises foggy, cold, the silent fields no peasant nears, the wolf upon the highways bold with his ferocious mate appears."
"The strife grew furious and Eugene Grasped a long knife and instantly Struck Lenski dead—across the scene Dark shadows thicken—a dread cry Was uttered, and the cabin shook— Tattiana terrified awoke."
"But she, her sister never heeding, With book in hand reclined in bed, Page after page continued reading, But no reply unto her made."
"The dream left terror in its train. Not knowing its interpretation, Tania the meaning would obtain Of such a dread hallucination."
"Bringing his partner corpulent Fat Poustiakoff drove to the door."
"To tragedy, the fainting fit, And female tears hysterical, Onegin could not now submit, For long he had endured them all."
"Right opposite Tattiana placed, She, than the morning moon more pale, More timid than a doe long chased, Lifts not her eyes which swimming fail."
"Ceased for a space all chattering. Jaws are at work. On every side Plates, knives and forks are clattering And ringing wine-glasses are plied."
"Time was, his raillery was gay, He loved the simpleton to mock."
"In fact, the subject analysed, Within that secret court discussed, In much his conduct stigmatized; For, from the outset, ’twas unjust."
"His visit she had not awaited, His momentary loving glance Her inmost soul had penetrated."
"Haste, haste thy lagging pace, my story! A new acquaintance we must scan."
"The shining pistols are uncased, The mallet loud the ramrod strikes."
"He was no more! The youthful bard For evermore had disappeared."
"But home his body to despatch Can scarce in sweetness be a match."
"And so my noon hath come! If so, I must resign myself, in sooth."
"Mournful is thine approach to me, O Spring, thou chosen time of love!"
"Thou also, reader generous, The chaise long ordered please employ."
"But time flies and she doth forget They long at home have her expected."
"Moscow, how oft in evil days, Condemned to exile dire by fate."
"Lo! compassed by his grove of oaks, Petrovski Palace! Gloomily."
"Behold! beside their dwelling groups Of serfs the farewell wail have given."
"And my Tattiana now began To understand by slow degrees."
"But where Melpomene doth rave With lengthened howl and accent loud."
"Noise, laughter, bowing, hurrying mixt,Gallop, mazurka, waltzing—see!A pillar by, two aunts betwixt,Tania, observed by nobody,Looks upon all with absent gazeAnd hates the world’s discordant ways."
"’Tis noisome to her there: in thoughtAgain her rural life she sought,The hamlet, the poor villagers,The little solitary nookWhere shining runs the tiny brook,Her garden, and those books of hers,And the lime alley’s twilight dimWhere the first time she met with him."
"Happy he who in youth was young,Happy who timely grew mature,He who life’s frosts which early wrungHath gradually learnt to endure;By visions who was ne’er derangedNor from the mob polite estranged."
"But sad is the reflection made,In vain was youth by us received,That we her constantly betrayedAnd she at last hath us deceived;That our desires which noblest seemed,The purest of the dreams we dreamed."
"To Love all ages lowly bend,But the young unpolluted heartHis gusts should fertilize, amend,As vernal storms the fields athwart."
"And yet the city’s flower was there,Noblesse and models of the mode,Faces which we meet everywhereAnd necessary fools allowed."
"O Men, how very like ye areTo Eve the universal mother,Possession hath no power to please,The serpent to unlawful treesAye bids ye in some way or other."
"Ah! how Tattiana was transformed,How thoroughly her part she took!How soon to habits she conformedWhich crushing dignity must brook!"
"But my Onegin the whole eveWithin his mind Tattiana bore,Not the young timid maid, believe,Enamoured, simple-minded, poor,But the indifferent princess,Divinity without access."
"I love you—to what end deceive?—But I am now another’s bride—For ever faithful will abide."
"To exile self-consigned, With self, society, existence, discontent, I visit in these days, with melancholy mind, The country whereunto a mournful age thee sent."
"Within him daily see the fires of punch and war, Upon the fields of Mars a gallant warrior, A faithful friend to friends, of ladies torturer, But ever the Hussar."
"The midsummer nights in the latitude of St. Petersburg are a prolonged twilight."
"Hospitality is a national virtue of the Russians."
"The cold seemed to grasp me in the region of the heart."
"Many, even as I, visited that fountain, but some of these are dead and some have journeyed afar."