Charles Dickens Quotes

This is a world of action and not for moping and droning in.

~ Charles Dickens

If there were no bad people there would be no good lawyers.

~ Charles Dickens

It's over and can't be helped and that's one consolation as they always say in Turkey when they cut the wrong man's head off.

~ Charles Dickens

Time is the greatest and longest-established spinner of all. ... His factory is a secret place his work noiseless and his hands are mutes.

~ Charles Dickens

He had but one eye and the pocket of prejudice runs in favour of two.

~ Charles Dickens

Any man may be in good spirits and good temper when he's well dressed. There ain't much credit in that.

~ Charles Dickens

Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so many years it was a splendid laugh!

~ Charles Dickens

What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and desert their chosen intendeds for my sake?' 'Because they can't help it, miss,' replied the girl; 'the reason's plain.' (If Miss Squeers were the reason, it was very plain.)

~ Charles Dickens

She [Mrs. Badger] was surrounded in the drawing-room by various objects, indicative of her painting a little, playing the piano a little, playing the guitar a little, playing the harp a little, singing a little, working a little, reading a little, writing poetry a little, and botanizing a little. She was a lady of about fifty, I should think, youthfully dressed, and of a very fine complexion. If I add to the little list of her accomplishments that she rouged a little, I do not mean that there was any harm in it.

~ Charles Dickens

He [Old Mr. Turveydrop] was a fat old gentleman with a false complexion, false teeth, false whiskers, and a wig. He had a fur collar, and he had a padded breast to his coat, which only wanted a star or a broad blue ribbon to be complete. He was pinched in, and swelled out, and got up, and strapped down, as much as he could possibly bear.

~ Charles Dickens

But that, in shutting out the light of day, she had secluded herself from a thousand natural and healing influences; that her mind, brooding solitary, had grown diseased, as all minds do and must and will that reverse the appointed order of their Maker, I knew equally well. And could I look upon her without compassion, seeing her punishment in the ruin she was, in her profound unfitness for this earth on which she was placed, in the vanity of sorrow which had become a master mania, like the vanity of penitence, the vanity of remorse, the vanity of unworthiness, and other monstrous vanities that have been curses in this world?

~ Charles Dickens

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.

~ Charles Dickens

The first rule of business is: Do other men for they would do you.

~ Charles Dickens

The one great principle of English law is to make business for itself.

~ Charles Dickens

'Tis love that makes the world go round, my baby.

~ Charles Dickens

A loving heart is the truest wisdom.

~ Charles Dickens

Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.

~ Charles Dickens

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!

~ Charles Dickens

Christmas time! That man must be a misanthrope indeed, in whose breast something like a jovial feeling is not roused - in whose mind some pleasant associations are not awakened - by the recurrence of Christmas.

~ Charles Dickens

There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.

~ Charles Dickens

The men who learn endurance, are they who call the whole world, brother.

~ Charles Dickens

The age of chivalry is past. Bores have succeeded to dragons.

~ Charles Dickens

I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.

~ Charles Dickens

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

~ Charles Dickens

If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.

~ Charles Dickens

There is nothing so strong or safe in an emergency of life as the simple truth.

~ Charles Dickens

It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations.

~ Charles Dickens

Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely; in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.

~ Charles Dickens

I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don't trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance any day in the week, if there is anything to be got by it.

~ Charles Dickens

Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship and pass the rosy wine.

~ Charles Dickens

The civility which money will purchase, is rarely extended to those who have none.

~ Charles Dickens

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart.

~ Charles Dickens

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

~ Charles Dickens

Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.

~ Charles Dickens

That sort of half sigh, which, accompanied by two or three slight nods of the head, is pity's small change in general society.

~ Charles Dickens

I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free.

~ Charles Dickens