1812-1870, British Novelist
A boy's story is the best that is ever told.
Charles Dickens – [Youth]
A day wasted on others is not wasted on one's self.
Charles Dickens – [Time and Time Management]
A lady of what is commonly called an uncertain temper — a phrase which being interpreted signifies a temper tolerably certain to make everybody more or less uncomfortable.
Charles Dickens – [Temper]
A loving heart is the truest wisdom.
Charles Dickens – [Love]
A man in public life expects to be sneered at — it is the fault of his elevated situation, and not of himself.
Charles Dickens – [Public]
A person who can't pay gets another person who can't pay to guarantee that he can pay. Like a person with two wooden legs getting another person with two wooden legs to guarantee that he has got two natural legs. It don't make either of them able to do a walking-match.
Charles Dickens – [Credit]
A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.
Charles Dickens – [Secrets]
Accidents will occur in the best-regulated families; and in families not regulated by that pervading influence which sanctifies while it enhances… in short, by the influence of Woman, in the lofty character of Wife, they may be expected with confidence, and must be borne with philosophy.
Charles Dickens – [Family]
Anything for the quick life, as the man said when he took the situation at the lighthouse.
Charles Dickens – [Life and Living]
Bring in the bottled lightning, a clean tumbler, and a corkscrew.
Charles Dickens – [Alcohol and Alcoholism]
Change begets change. Nothing propagates so fast. If a man habituated to a narrow circle of cares and pleasures, out of which he seldom travels, step beyond it, though for never so brief a space, his departure from the monotonous scene on which he has been an actor of importance would seem to be the signal for instant confusion. The mine which Time has slowly dug beneath familiar objects is sprung in an instant; and what was rock before, becomes but sand and dust.
Charles Dickens – [Change]
Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.
Charles Dickens – [Charity]
Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks.
Charles Dickens – [Cheerfulness]
Credit is a system whereby a person who can not pay gets another person who can not pay to guarantee that he can pay.
Charles Dickens – [Debt]
Dollars! All their cares, hopes, joys, affections, virtues, and associations seemed to be melted down into dollars. Whatever the chance contributions that fell into the slow cauldron of their talk, they made the gruel thick and slab with dollars. Men were weighed by their dollars, measures were gauged by their dollars; life was auctioned, appraised, put up, and knocked down for its dollars. The next respectable thing to dollars was any venture having their attainment for its end. The more of that worthless ballast, honor and fair-dealing, which any man cast overboard from the ship of his Good Nature and Good Intent, the more ample stowage-room he had for dollars. Make commerce one huge lie and mighty theft. Deface the banner of the nation for an idle rag; pollute it star by star; and cut out stripe by stripe as from the arm of a degraded soldier. Do anything for dollars! What is a flag to them!
Charles Dickens – [Money]
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 – [Communication]
Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship; and pass the rosy wine.
Charles Dickens – [Company]
Father Time is not always a hard parent, and, though he tarries for none of his children, often lays his hand lightly upon those who have used him well; making them old men and women inexorably enough, but leaving their hearts and spirits young and in full vigor. With such people the gray head is but the impression of the old fellow's hand in giving them his blessing, and every wrinkle but a notch in the quiet calendar of a well-spent life.
Charles Dickens – [Age and Aging]
Great men are seldom over-scrupulous in the arrangement of their attire.
Charles Dickens – [Dress]
He had but one eye and the pocket of prejudice runs in favor of two.
Charles Dickens – [Eyes]