Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickenswas an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity...
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth7 February 1812
abandoned beginning degraded died dream ends fighting heard home ideas inspired knew last lay leaves remorse reproach shadows shaking sight silent since sleeper sloth soul striving troubled voices whispers wish
. . . I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul. In my degradation I have not been so degraded but that the sight of you with your father, and of this home made such a home by you, has stirred old shadows that I thought had died out of me. Since I knew you, I have been troubled by a remorse that I thought would never reproach me again, and have heard whispers from old voices impelling me upward, that I thought were silent for ever. I have had unformed ideas of striving afresh, beginning anew, shaking off sloth and sensuality, and fighting out the abandoned fight. A dream, all a dream, that ends in nothing, and leaves the sleeper where he lay down, but I wish you to know that you inspired it.
angel shadow desire
The shadows of our own desires stand between us and our better angels, and thus their brightness is eclipsed.
fighting words-of-wisdom shadow
But injustice breeds injustice; the fighting with shadows and being defeated by them necessitates the setting up of substances to combat.
mirrors shadow gliding
Surely there had been no figure leaning on the back of his chair; no face looking over it. It is certain that no gliding footstep touched the floor, as he lifted up his head, with a start, and spoke. And yet there was no mirror in the room on whose surface his own form could have cast its shadow for a moment; and, Something had passed darkly and gone!
shadow awful degrees
As the gloom and shadow thickened behind him, in that place where it had been gathering so darkly, it took, by slow degrees, - or out of it there came, by some unreal, unsubstantial process - not to be traced by any human sense, - an awful likeness of himself!
appeared cast church days dial flight graveyard language last lights reflection shadow solemn truest village weeks whatever
In this way they went on, and on, and on--in the language of the story-books--until at last the village lights appeared before them, and the church spire cast a long reflection on the graveyard grass; as if it were a dial (alas, the truest in the world!) marking, whatever light shone out of Heaven, the flight of days and weeks and years, by some new shadow on that solemn ground.
left neglected quite school solitary
The school is not quite deserted, said the Ghost. ""A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.
comfort ingenious judgments legal machines motion numerous offices public torment torture
These sequestered nooks are the public offices of the legal profession, where writs are issued, judgments signed, declarations filed, and numerous other ingenious machines put in motion for the torture and torment of His Majesty's liege subjects, and the comfort and emolument of the practitioners of the law.
affection consciousness deepest deserted eyes others possess power regard silent sympathy turned wealth
A silent look of affection and regard when all other eyes are turned coldly away--the consciousness that we possess the sympathy and affection of one being when all others have deserted us--is a hold, a stay, a comfort, in the deepest affliction, which no wealth could purchase, or power bestow.
bank educating left natives
Educating the natives of Borrioboola-Gha, on the left bank of the Niger.
drink kiss lips
Drink with me, my dear, said Mr. Weller. "Put your lips to this here tumbler, and then I can kiss you by deputy.
far hang wrong
Far better hang wrong fler than no fler.
age-and-aging calendar father full giving gray hand hard head hearts impression inexorably lays leaving lightly men none notch people quiet spirits though time women wrinkle
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.
wicked
Say, like those wicked Turks, there is no What's-his-name but Thingummy, and What-you-may-call-it is his prophet!