A commission of haberdashers could alone have reported what the rest of her poor dress was made of, but it had a strong general resemblance to seaweed, with here and there is a gigantic tea-leaf. Her shawl looked particularly like a tea-leaf after long infusion.

— Charles Dickens

A day wasted on others is not wasted on one's self.

— Charles Dickens

A display of indifference to all the actions and passions of mankind was not supposed to be such a distinguished quality at that time, I think, as I have observed it to be considered since. I have known it very fashionable indeed. I have seen it displayed with such success, that I have encountered some fine ladies and gentlemen who might as well have been born caterpillars.

— Charles Dickens

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.

— Charles Dickens

A faithful dependent, I overlook his folly.

— Charles Dickens

After that, he drank all the rest of the sherry, and Mr. Hubble drank the port, and the two talked (which I have since observed to be customary in such cases) as if they were of quite another race from the deceased, and were notoriously immortal.

— Charles Dickens

Ah, me!" said he, "what might have been is not what is!

— Charles Dickens

All other swindlers upon earth are nothing compared to self-swindlers.

— Charles Dickens

All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself.

— Charles Dickens

All this time I had never been able to consider my own situation, nor could I do so yet. I had not the power to attend to it. I was greatly dejected and distressed, but in an incoherent wholesale sort of way. As to forming any plan for the future, I could as soon have formed an elephant. When I opened the shutters and looked out at the wet wild morning, all of a leaden hue; when I walked from room to room; when I sat down again shivering, before the fire, waiting for my laundress to appear; I thought how miserable I was, but hardly knew why, or how long I had been so, or on what day of the week I made the reflection, or even who I was that made it.

— Charles Dickens