# Quote — Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge

> The thoughts of worldly men are for ever regulated by a moral law of gravitation, which, like the physical one, holds them down to earth. The bright glory of day, and the silent wonders of a starlit night, appeal to their minds in vain. There are no signs in the sun, or in the moon, or in the stars, for their reading. They are like some wise men, who, learning to know each planet by its Latin name, have quite forgotten such small heavenly constellations as Charity, Forbearance, Universal Love, and Mercy, although they shine by night and day so brightly that the blind may see them; and who, looking upward at the spangled sky, see nothing there but the reflection of their own great wisdom and book-learning.

- Author: [Charles Dickens](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens.md)
- Book: [Barnaby Rudge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens/barnaby-rudge.md)
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Barnaby_Rudge#Quotes) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens/barnaby-rudge/the-thoughts-of-worldly

## More from this book

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

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens/barnaby-rudge/the-men-who.md)

> "I’m of as gen-teel a calling, brother, as any man in England—as light a business as any gentleman could desire." "Was you ‘prenticed to it?" asked Mr Tappertit. "No. Natural genius," said Mr Dennis. "No ‘prenticing. It come by natur’. Muster Gashford knows my calling. Look at that hand of mine—many and many a job that hand has done, with a neatness and dexterity, never known afore. When I look at that hand," said Mr Dennis, shaking it in the air, "and remember the helegant bits of work it has turned off, I feel quite molloncholy to think it should ever grow old and feeble. But sich is life!"

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens/barnaby-rudge/im-of-as-gen-teel.md)

> ‘See the hangman when it comes home to him!’ cried Hugh again, as they bore him away—‘Ha ha ha! Courage, bold Barnaby, what care we? Your hand! They do well to put us out of the world, for if we got loose a second time, we wouldn’t let them off so easy, eh? Another shake! A man can die but once. If you wake in the night, sing that out lustily, and fall asleep again. Ha ha ha!’

[Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-dickens/barnaby-rudge/see-the-hangman.md)