Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Besides this, it proved that the harrows and all the agricultural implements which he had ordered to be examined and mended in winter, for which purpose three carpenters had been specially engaged, had not been seen to, and that the harrows were now being mended when it was time to start harrowing.

There are people who when they meet a rival, no matter in what, at once shut their eyes to everything good in him and see only the bad. There are others who on the contrary try to discern in a lucky rival the qualities which have enabled him to succeed, and with aching hearts seek only the good in him.

‘…Now that years have passed, when I remember it, I am surprised that it could have grieved me so much. So it will be with this grief. Time will pass, and I shall become indifferent.’ Levin

‘Well, you see you are very consistent,’ said Oblonsky. ‘It is both a virtue and a fault in you. You have consistent character yourself and you wish all the facts of life to be consistent, but they never are. For instance you despise public service because you want work always to correspond to its aims and that never happens. You also want the

‘Yes, it is a sign that rough work is unnecessary to him. He works with his mind…’

‘Possibly, but still it seems to me strange that while we country people try to get over our meals as quickly as we can so as to be able to get on with our work, here you and I try to make our meal last as long as possible, and therefore eat oysters.’

‘Well, of