“Speaking about Ostrovsky, one cannot help but recall his amiable personality. The outline of his head, in my opinion, bore a resemblance to the head of Sophocles, as he is depicted on one of the busts of the Capitoline Museum. The most attractive thing about his face were his eyes: they knew how to think, and listen, and smile, and laugh in the most sincere way. Like all mortals, Alexander Nikolaevich, of course, had his own oddities and shortcomings; but they somehow went to him: so sometimes birthmarks increase cuteness. That’s why all the people close to the deceased even developed some kind of loving relationship towards them...”