70+ Remarkable Leo Tolstoy Quotes That All Kids Should Know
Gallery
Leo Tolstoy is known for his magnificent works of fiction, most notably for the books named 'War And Peace' and 'Anna Karenina'.
Born on 9 September 1828 in Yasnaya Polyana, Russia, Leo had a troubled youth. He was the youngest of four children who went through drastic changes in short intervals throughout their lives.
In 1830, Leo Tolstoy's mother passed away and his father's cousin took the responsibility of taking care of the children. But in a few years, Leo would lose his father as well.
Later, the aunt taking care of him passed away, and so they moved in with their second aunt. His writing is greatly influenced by the struggles he faced during this time.
A few French and German teachers were in charge of his education at home, after which he went to the University of Kazan to take part in the Oriental languages program. Unfortunately, he did not perform well in this and had to choose a law program to make things easier.
Even this did not last long, and he eventually dropped out of college without earning a degree.
Leo explored other ways to make a living ultimately finding his passion for farming, but due to his lack of knowledge in the field, he failed to make progress.
However, during these times, he began a habit of writing journal entries about his daily life. This would be the beginning of his writing experience and a lot of his published content is inspired by this journal.
Leo later decided to join the military, acting on his brother's advice. He continued to write during his time in the military and later succeeded in publishing his first book called 'Childhood'.
Leo then continued to publish multiple novels, one of which also includes the illustrious book titled 'What Is Art?' that consists of one of the most famous lines by Leo Tolstoy explaining the concept of art to his readers.
He says, "To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds, or forms expressed in words, so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling - this is the activity of art".
Here we bring you more intriguing Leo Tolstoy quotes. If you love these Leo Tolstoy quotes and are hungry for more, we've got more right here with these 'War And Peace' quotes and Kurt Vonnegut Quotes.
Russian Philosophy Quotes By Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy often portrayed his philosophies through his writing and his quotes, including some serve humanity quotes, that have fascinated readers through the years. Check out these Leo Tolstoy quotes all about Russian philosophy to learn more.
1. "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
-Leo Tolstoy.
2. "Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait."
-Leo Tolstoy.
3. "Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it."
-Leo Tolstoy.
4. "If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war."
-Leo Tolstoy.
5. "In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you."
-Leo Tolstoy.
6. "I often think that men don’t understand what is noble and what is ignorant, though they always talk about it."
-Leo Tolstoy.
7. "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time."
-Leo Tolstoy.
8. "Boredom: the desire for desires."
-Leo Tolstoy.
9. "If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content."
-Leo Tolstoy.
10. "If you're not enjoying your work, you should either change your attitude or change your job."
-Leo Tolstoy.
11. "Anything is better than lies and deceit!"
-Leo Tolstoy.
12. "A truly wise man is always joyful."
-Leo Tolstoy.
13. "The only thing that we know is that we know nothing and that is the highest flight of human wisdom."
-Leo Tolstoy.
14. "It's much better to do good in a way that no one knows anything about it."
-Leo Tolstoy.
15. "Even in the valley of the shadow of death, two and two do not make six."
-Leo Tolstoy.
16. "It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness."
-Leo Tolstoy.
17. "Rummaging in our souls, we often dig up something that ought to have lain there unnoticed."
-Leo Tolstoy.
18. "Spring is the time of plans and projects."
-Leo Tolstoy.
19. "We lost because we told ourselves we lost."
-Leo Tolstoy.
20. "If you want to be happy, be."
-Leo Tolstoy.
The Best Quotes From 'War And Peace' And 'Anna Karenina' Leo Tolstoy Quotes
For those who love Leo Tolstoy quotes, here are some 'War And Peace' famous quotes, along with some prominent quotes from 'Anna Karenina'. Do you recognize any of these Leo Tolstoy quotes?
21. "All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Anna Karenina'.
22. "There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'War And Peace'.
23. "There are no conditions to which a person cannot grow accustomed, especially if he sees that everyone around him lives in the same way."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Anna Karenina'.
24. "Man cannot possess anything as long as he fears death."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'War And Peace'.
25. "Something magical has happened to me: like a dream when one feels frightened and creepy, and suddenly wakes up to the knowledge that no such terrors exist. I have wakened up."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Anna Karenina'.
26. "If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason, then all possibility of life is destroyed."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'War And Peace'.
27. "He soon felt that the fulfillment of his desires gave him only one grain of the mountain of happiness he had expected."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Anna Karenina'.
28. "If there was no suffering, man would not know his limits, would not know himself."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'War And Peace'.
29. "And you know, there's less charm in life when you think about death--but it's more peaceful."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Anna Karenina'.
30. "Because of the self-confidence with which he had spoken, no one could tell whether what he said was very clever or very stupid."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'War And Peace'.
Leo Tolstoy Quotes On Love
Here are some Leo Tolstoy love quotes to envision his idea of loving someone. These Leo Tolstoy quotes on love are truly beautiful.
31. "Love. The reason I dislike that word is that it means too much for me, far more than you can understand."
-Leo Tolstoy.
32. "When you love someone, you love the person as they are, and not as you'd like them to be."
-Leo Tolstoy.
33. "But the law of loving others could not be discovered by reason, because it is unreasonable."
-Leo Tolstoy.
34. "It's hard to love a woman and do anything."
-Leo Tolstoy.
35. "All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love."
-Leo Tolstoy.
36. "He was afraid of defiling the love which filled his soul."
-Leo Tolstoy.
37. "Respect was invented to cover the empty place where love should be."
-Leo Tolstoy.
38. "Is it really possible to tell someone else what one feels?"
-Leo Tolstoy.
39. "If you love me as you say you do, make it so that I am at peace."
-Leo Tolstoy.
40. "I have learnt that all men live not by care for themselves, but by love."
-Leo Tolstoy.
Leo Tolstoy Family Quotes To Swear By
Why not read a Leo Tolstoy 'Family Happiness' quote to remind you of the important aspects of life.
41. "Rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Family Happiness'.
42. "Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Family Happiness'.
43. "I wanted feeling to guide us in life, and not life to be the guide to feeling."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Family Happiness'.
44. "All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
-Leo Tolstoy.
45. "I felt a wish never to leave that room - a wish that dawn might never come, that my present frame of mind might never change."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Family Happiness'.
46. "I longed for activity instead of an even flow of existence."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Family Happiness'.
47. "Society in itself is no great harm, but unsatisfied social aspirations are a bad and ugly business. We must certainly accept, and we will."
-Leo Tolstoy, 'Family Happiness'.
Way Of Life Leo Tolstoy Quotes
These freethinkers Leo Tolstoy quotations and Leo Tolstoy on life quotes moralize our being. What can you learn from these Leo Tolstoy quotes about our way of life?
48. "True life is lived when tiny changes occur."
-Leo Tolstoy.
49. "Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking."
-Leo Tolstoy.
50. "Our body is a machine for living. It is organized for that, it is its nature. Let life go on in it unhindered and let it defend itself."
-Leo Tolstoy.
51. "Have a goal in life. A goal for a certain time, for a year, for a month, for a week, for a day or for an hour and for a minute, sacrificing lower goals to highest."
-Leo Tolstoy.
52. "The chief difference between words and deeds is that words are always intended for men for their approbation, but deeds can be done only for God."
-Leo Tolstoy.
53. "The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than according to the demands of our conscience not from our mental resolution to try a new form of life."
-Leo Tolstoy.
54. "If you make it a habit not to blame others, you will feel the growth of the ability to love in your soul, and you will see the growth of goodness in your life."
-Leo Tolstoy.
55. "To love life is to love God. Harder and more blessed than all else is to love this life in one's sufferings, in undeserved sufferings."
-Leo Tolstoy.
56. "Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly."
-Leo Tolstoy.
57. "People try to do all sorts of clever and difficult things to improve life instead of doing the simplest, easiest thing-refusing to participate in activities that make life bad."
-Leo Tolstoy.
58. "Joy can only be real if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness."
-Leo Tolstoy.
59. "They've got no idea what happiness is, they don't know that without this love there is no happiness or unhappiness for us - there is no life."
-Leo Tolstoy.
60. "An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person’s main task in life – becoming a better person."
-Leo Tolstoy.
Famous Tolstoy Quotes That Are Worth Treasuring
These Leo Tolstoy thoughts on how the world works are something to be admired. Which of these Leo Tolstoy quotes, featuring Tolstoy on happiness and the Leo Tolstoy quotes on the law, is your favorite?
61. "There is only one enduring happiness in life - to live for others."
-Leo Tolstoy.
62. "One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken."
-Leo Tolstoy.
63. "The law condemns and punishes only actions within certain definite and narrow limits; it thereby justifies, in a way, all similar actions that lie outside those limits."
-Leo Tolstoy.
64. "Let people judge me as they please-I can deceive them, but I cannot deceive myself.'And he suddenly understood that the disgust which he had lately felt toward everybody … was disgust with himself."
-Leo Tolstoy.
65. "Faith is the sense of life, that sense by virtue of which man does not destroy himself, but continues to live on. It is the force whereby we live."
-Leo Tolstoy.
66. "I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means - except by getting off his back."
-Leo Tolstoy.
67. "I think... if it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts."
-Leo Tolstoy.
68. "If a man aspires towards a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals."
-Leo Tolstoy.
69. "Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them."
-Leo Tolstoy.
70. "There is one evident, indubitable manifestation of the Divinity, and that is the laws of right which are made known to the world through Revelation."
-Leo Tolstoy.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Leo Tolstoy quotes then why not take a look at these [Henry Miller quotes], or [Shakespeare quotes about death] for more?
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
A professional content writer hailing from Kolkata, India, with extensive experience in the corporate sector, Writvik Gupta has worked with several reputed companies, including ITC WelcomHotel Jodhpur, Bharti AXA Life Insurance, Aryan Imaging, and Eduquity. He also serves as a consultant for a startup based in Bangalore. With a passion for the outdoors, Writvik enjoys trekking and traveling to remote destinations. He also has a keen interest in exploring various cuisines and regularly volunteers for social causes.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
