A Tale of Two Cities is an 1859 historical novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. Profoundly inspirational A Tale of Two Cities quotes will challenge the way you think, and make your life worth living.
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Famous A Tale of Two Cities Quotes
She was the golden thread that united him to a Past beyond his misery, and to a Present beyond his misery and the sound of her voice, the light of her face, the touch of her hand, had a strong beneficial influence with him almost always. Dr. Manette
A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other. Charles Dickens
The faintness of the voice was pitiable and dreadful. It was not the faintness of physical weakness, though confinement and hard fare no doubt had their part in it. Its deplorable peculiarity was, that it was the faintness of solitude and disuse. Dr. Manette
It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. Charles Dickens
What private solicitude could rear itself against the deluge of the Year One of Liberty the deluge rising from below, not falling from above, and with the windows of Heaven shut, not opened! Dr. Manette
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. Charles Dickens
Miss Pross recalled soon afterwards, and to the end of her life remembered there was a braced purpose in the arm and a kind of inspiration in the eyes, which not only contradicted his light manner, but changed and raised the man. Charles Dickens
You have been the last dream of my soul. Charles Dickens
I am desperate. I don’t care an English Twopence for myself. I know that the longer I keep you here, the greater hope there is for my Ladybird. Miss Pross
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens
We have so asserted our station, both in the old time and in the modern time also that I believe our name to be more detested than any name in France. Charles Darnay
I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul. Charles Dickens
As an emotion of the mind will express itself through any covering of the body, so the paleness which his situation engendered came through the brown upon his cheek, showing the soul to be stronger than the sun. Charles Dickens
And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire. Charles Dickens
If you knew what a conflict goes on in the business mind, when the business mind is divided between good natured impulse and business appearances, you would be amused, Mr. Darnay. Jarvis Lorry
I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss. I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy. I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. Charles Dickens
These are mere business relations, miss; there is no friendship in them, no particular interest, nothing like sentiment. I have passed from one to another, in the course of my business life, just as I pass from one of our customers to another in the course of my business day; in short, I have no feelings; I am a mere machine. Jarvis Lorry
A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s self. Charles Dickens
If, when I hint to you of a Home that is before us, where I will be true to you with all my duty and with all my faithful service, I bring back the remembrance of a Home long desolate, while your poor heart pined away, weep for it, weep for it! Lucie Manette
There is prodigious strength in sorrow and despair. Charles Dickens
I am going to see his Ghost! It will be his Ghost not him! Lucie Manette
I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. I see her, an old woman, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day. Sydney Carton
For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. If my career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you. Try to hold me in your mind, at some quiet times, as ardent and sincere in this one thing. The time will come, the time will not be long in coming, when new ties will be formed about you ties that will bind you yet more tenderly and strongly to the home you so adorn the dearest ties that will ever grace and gladden you. O Miss Manette, when the little picture of a happy father’s face looks up in yours, when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you! Charles Dickens
I am a disappointed drudge, sir. I care for no man on earth, and no man on earth cares for me. Sydney Carton
Think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you. Charles Dickens
I am not old, but my young way was never the way to age. Enough of me. Sydney Carton
Sadly, sadly, the sun rose; it rose upon no sadder sight than the man of good abilities and good emotions, incapable of their directed exercise, incapable of his own help and his own happiness, sensible of the blight on him, and resigning himself to let it eat him away. Charles Dickens
I care nothing for this Doctor, I. He may wear his head or lose it, for any interest I have in him; it is all one to me. But, the Evrémonde people are to be exterminated, and the wife and child must follow the husband and father. Madame Defarge
A multitude of people and yet a solitude. Charles Dickens
My husband, fellow citizen, is a good Republican and a bold man; he has deserved well of the Republic, and possesses its confidence. But my husband has his weaknesses, and he is so weak as to relent towards this Doctor. Madame Defarge
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
But it is your weakness that you sometimes need to see your victim and your opportunity, to sustain you. Sustain yourself without that. When the time comes, let loose a tiger and a devil; but wait for the time with the tiger and the devil chained not shown yet always ready. Madame Defarge
Death may beget life, but oppression can beget nothing other than itself. Charles Dickens
Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine! Charles Dickens
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. Charles Dickens
Think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you. Charles Dickens
I love your daughter fondly, dearly, disninterestedly, devotedly. If ever there were love in the world, I love her. Charles Dickens
There is a great crowd coming one day into our lives, if that be so. Charles Dickens
Not knowing how he lost himself, or how he recovered himself, he may never feel certain of not losing himself again. Charles Dickens
The cloud of caring for nothing, which overshadowed him with such a fatal darkness, was very rarely pierced by the light within him. Charles Dickens
Then tell Wind and Fire where to stop, returned madame; but don’t tell me. Charles Dickens
Towards that small and ghostly hour, Mr. Cruncher rose up from his chair, took a key out of his pocket, opened a locked cupboard, and brought forth a sack, a crowbar of convenient size, a rope and chain, and other fishing tackle of that nature. Charles Dickens
Vengeance and retribution require a long time; it is the rule. Charles Dickens
In the moonlight which is always sad, as the light of the sun itself is as the light called human life is at its coming and its going. Charles Dickens
All through it, I have known myself to be quite undeserving. And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire a fire, however, inseparable in its nature from myself, quickening nothing, lighting nothing, doing no service, idly burning away. Charles Dickens
You touch some of the reasons for my going, not for my staying away. Charles Dickens
There is a man who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you. Charles Dickens
Eighteen years! Gracious Creator of day! To be buried alive for eighteen years! Charles Dickens
Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seeds of rapacious licence and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind. Charles Dickens
We had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. Charles Dickens
I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out. Charles Dickens
For I’m the devil at quick mistakes, and when I make one it takes the form of Lead. Charles Dickens
Nothing that we do, is done in vain. I believe, with all my soul, that we shall see triumph. Charles Dickens
But indeed, at that time, putting to death was a recipe much in vogue with all trades and professions, and not least of all with Tellson’s. Death is Nature’s remedy for all things, and why not Legislation’s? Charles Dickens
And a beautiful world we live in, when it is possible, and when many other such things are possible, and not only possible, but done done, see you! under that sky there, every day. Charles Dickens,
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. Charles Dickens
The cloud of caring for nothing, which overshadowed him with such a fatal darkness, was very rarely pierced by the light within him. Charles Dickens
I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul. Charles Dickens
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. 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
In the moonlight which is always sad, as the light of the sun itself is as the light called human life is at its coming and its going. Charles Dickens
It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done, it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. Sydney Carton
