While not all contemporary literary critics embrace Victorian-era writers, the appeal of Charles Dickens’ quotes extends beyond the boundaries of time. What sets Charles Dickens quotes apart is their ability to convey profound insights with simplicity.
Despite the complexities of the human experience, Dickens has a knack for distilling astute observations into concise and relatable words. His quotes possess a timeless quality, resonating with readers across generations due to their universal themes and relatable sentiments. This collection of quotes offers glimpses into love, life, happiness, work, friendship, and hope.
Charles Dickens (1812-1870)
Love
“I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.”
– Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “I loved her simply because I found her irresistible.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “There is a wisdom of the head, and… there is a wisdom of the heart.” – Charles Dickens, Hard Times (1854)
- “The broken heart. You think you will die, but you keep living, day after day after terrible day.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “Never close your lips to those whom you have already opened your heart.” – Charles Dickens
- “I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
Life
“We need never be ashamed of our tears.”
– Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
- “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843)
- The sun does not shine upon this fair earth to meet frowning eyes, depend upon it.” – Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby (1838)
- “We need never be ashamed of our tears.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
Work
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.”
– Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (1850)
- “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another.” – Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend (1864-1865)
- “My advice is to never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.” – Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
- “Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” – Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (1850)
Inspiration
“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”
– Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend (1864-1865)
- “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843)
- “Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.” – Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend (1864-1865)
- “We need never be ashamed of our tears.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.” – Charles Dickens, Bleak House (1852-1853)
Friendship
“There is no substitute for friendship. Friends are all we have to get us through this life—and they are the only things from this world that we could hope to see in the next.”
– Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge (1840-1841)
- “There is nothing truer in this world than the love of a good dog.” – Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop (1840-1841)
- “There is no substitute for friendship. Friends are all we have to get us through this life—and they are the only things from this world that we could hope to see in the next.” – Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge (1840-1841)
- “We need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of another.” – Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend (1864-1865)
Hope
“Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into a better shape.”
– Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843)
- “Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into a better shape.” – Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861)
- “May not the love of unity, in which all my sorrows are concentred, be one day fulfilled!” – Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers (1836-1837)
- “Reflect upon your present blessings—of which every man has many—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843)