Charles Dickens: Trending quotes (page 2)

“I don’t feel any vulgar gratitude to you. I almost feel as if you ought to be grateful to me, for giving you the opportunity of enjoying the luxury of generosity. I know you like it. For anything I can tell, I may have come into the world expressly for the purpose of increasing your stock of happiness.”

Charles Dickens book Bleak House

Source: Bleak House (1852-1853), Ch. 6

World , Feeling , Gratitude , Happiness

“"Wal'r, my boy," replied the Captain, "in the Proverbs of Solomon you will find the following words, 'May we never want a friend in need, nor a bottle to give him!'”

Charles Dickens book Dombey and Son

When found, make a note of."
Source: Dombey and Son (1846-1848), Ch. 15

Boy

“The difficulty of writing English is most tiresome to me. My God! If only we could write this beautiful language of France at all times!”

Charles Dickens

La difficulté d'écrire l'anglais m'est extrêmement ennuyeuse. Ah, mon Dieu! si l'on pouvait toujours écrire cette belle langue de France!
Letter to John Foster (7 July 1850)

God , Beauty , Time

“I revere the memory of Mr. F. as an estimable man and most indulgent husband, only necessary to mention Asparagus and it appeared or to hint at any little delicate thing to drink and it came like magic in a pint bottle; it was not ecstasy but it was comfort.”

Charles Dickens book Little Dorrit

Bk. I, Ch. 24
Little Dorrit (1855-1857)

Drink , Appearance , Memory

“Jarndyce and Jarndyce drones on. This scarecrow of a suit, has, in course of time, become so complicated that no man alive knows what it means. The parties to it understand it least; but it has been observed that no two Chancery lawyers can talk about it for five minutes, without coming to total disagreement as to all the premises.”

Charles Dickens book Bleak House

Source: Bleak House (1852-1853), Ch. 1

Understanding , Time

“The dignity of his office is never impaired by the absence of efforts on his part to maintain it.”

Charles Dickens book Sketches by Boz

Our Parish, Ch. 1 : The Beadle. The Parish Engine. The Schoolmaster.
Sketches by Boz (1836-1837)

Effort , Parting

“Now, I ain't alone, as you may think I am. There's a young man hid with me, in comparison with which young man I am a angel. That young man hears the words I speak. That young man has a secret way pecooliar to himself of getting at a boy, and at his heart, and at his liver. It is in wain for a boy to attempt to hide himself from that young man. A boy may lock his door, may be warm in bed, may tuck himself up, may draw the clothes over his head, may think himself comfortable and safe, but that young man will softly creep and creep his way to him and tear him open.”

Charles Dickens book Great Expectations

Source: Great Expectations (1860-1861), Ch. 1

Secret , Angels , Way , Boy

“And if it's proud to have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts," Miss Jenny struck in, flushed, "she is proud.”

Charles Dickens book Our Mutual Friend

Bk. III, Ch. 2
Our Mutual Friend (1864-1865)

Heart , Hurt

“Whatever was required to be done, the Circumlocution Office was beforehand with all the public departments in the art of perceiving — HOW NOT TO DO IT.”

Charles Dickens book Little Dorrit

Bk. I, Ch. 10
Little Dorrit (1855-1857)
Variant: Whatever was required to be done, the Circumlocution Office was beforehand with all the public departments in the art of perceiving — HOW NOT TO DO IT.

Art

“Once a gentleman, and always a gentleman.”

Charles Dickens book Little Dorrit

Bk. II, Ch. 28
Little Dorrit (1855-1857)