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.

He is a wonderfully accomplished man—most extraordinarily accomplished—reads—hem—reads every novel that comes out; I mean every novel that—hem—that has any fashion in it, of course. The fact is, that he did find so much in the books he read, applicable to his own misfortunes, and did find himself in every respect so much like the heroes—because of course he is conscious of his own superiority, as we all are, and very naturally—that he took to scorning everything, and became a genius.

It was a satisfactory thing to hear that the old gentleman was going to lead a new life, for it was pretty evident that his old one would not last him much longer.

"Yes, I have a pair of eyes," replied Sam, "and that's just it. If they wos a pair o' patent double million magnifyin' gas microscopes of hextra power, p'raps I might be able to see through a flight o' stairs and a deal door; but bein' only eyes, you see, my wision 's limited."

There are only two styles of portrait painting; the serious and the smirk.

They don't mind it; it's a reg'lar holiday to them — all porter and skittles.

Ven you’re a married man, Samivel, you’ll understand a good many things as you don’t understand now; but vether it’s worth goin’ through so much, to learn so little, as the charity-boy said ven he got to the end of the alphabet, is a matter o' taste.

How can you capture the sympathies of the audience unless you have a small man, fighting against a bigger one?

Poetry's unnat'ral; no man ever talked poetry 'cept a beadle on Boxin'-Day, or Warren's blackin', or Rowland's oil, or some of them low fellows; never you let yourself down to talk poetry, my boy.

It's my opinion, sir, that this meeting is drunk, sir.

A man in public life expects to be sneered at—it is the fault of his elevated sitiwation, and not of himself.

Oh! they're too beautiful to live, much too beautiful!