Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev. Letters about the kind and beautiful (№ 305999)

Deprive a truly intelligent man all his knowledge, education, depriving him of the memory. He forgot everything in the world will not know the classics of literature, will not remember the greatest works of art, forget the most important historical events, but if it will retain susceptibility to intellectual values, love of learning, interest in history, an aesthetic feeling, will be able to distinguish a real work of art from the rough "thing", only to surprise if he will be able to admire the beauty of nature, to understand the character and personality of another person, enter in his position, and realizing the other person to help him, not show rudeness, indifference, malice, envy, and appreciate the other's dignity, if he shows respect for the culture of the past, the skills of the educated person, the responsibility in addressing moral issues, wealth and precision of his language - spoken and written, - that it would be an intelligent person.