99+ Best Charles Dickens Quotes: Exclusive Selection

Charles John Huffam Dickens FRSA was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world’s best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. Profoundly inspirational Charles Dickens quotes will challenge the way you think, change the way you live and transform your whole life.

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Famous Charles Dickens Quotes

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.  Charles Dickens

Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. Charles Dickens

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. Charles Dickens

The most important thing in life is to stop saying I wish and start saying I will. Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities. Charles Dickens

There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast. Charles Dickens

I have been bent and broken, but I hope into a better shape. Charles Dickens

If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers. Charles Dickens

My advice is to never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time. Charles Dickens

Life is made of ever so many partings welded together. Charles Dickens

Time and tide will wait for no man, saith the adage. But all men have to wait for time and tide. Charles Dickens

Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door. Charles Dickens

Do all the good you can and make as little fuss about it as possible. Charles Dickens

The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists. Charles Dickens

Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes. Charles Dickens

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart. Charles Dickens

We never tire of the friendships we form with books. Charles Dickens

To conceal anything from those to whom I am attached, is not in my nature. I can never close my lips where I have opened my heart. Charles Dickens

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else. Charles Dickens

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

A man is lucky if he is the first love of a woman. A woman is lucky if she is the last love of a man. Charles Dickens

Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely; in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest. Charles Dickens

The world belongs to those who set out to conquer it armed with self confidence and good humour. Charles Dickens

He would make a lovely corpse. Charles Dickens

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

Christmas time! That man must be a misanthrope indeed, in whose breast something like a jovial feeling is not roused in whose mind some pleasant associations are not awakened by the recurrence of Christmas. Charles Dickens

True love believes everything, and bears everything, and trusts everything. Charles Dickens

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

The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists. Charles Dickens

The first rule of business is Do other men for they would do you. Charles Dickens

The sun himself is weak when he first rises, and gathers strength and courage as the day gets on. Charles Dickens

A boy’s story is the best that is ever told. Charles Dickens

The American elite is almost beyond redemption. Moral relativism has set in so deeply that the gilded classes have become incapable of discerning right from wrong. Everything can be explained away, especially by journalists. Life is one great moral mush sophistry washed down with Chardonnay. The ordinary citizens, thank goodness, still adhere to absolutes. It is they who have saved the republic from creeping degradation while their betters were derelict. Charles Dickens

Let us be moral. Let us contemplate existence. Charles Dickens

The worst of all listeners is the man who does nothing but listen. Charles Dickens

Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs. Charles Dickens

The habit of paying compliments kept a man’s tongue oiled without any expense. Charles Dickens

This is a world of action, and not for moping and droning in. Charles Dickens

There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor. Charles Dickens

Tis love that makes the world go round, my baby. Charles Dickens

Never close your lips to those whom you have already opened your heart. Charles Dickens

Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes and prism, are all very good words for the lips. Charles Dickens

If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers. Charles Dickens

A loving heart is the truest wisdom. Charles Dickens

Try to do unto others as you would have them do to you, and do not be discouraged if they fail sometimes. It is much better that they should fail than you should. 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. Charles Dickens

Every failure teaches a man something, if he will learn; and you are too sensible a man not to learn from this failure. Charles Dickens

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! Charles Dickens

Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers, and are famous preservers of good looks. Charles Dickens

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens

When you drink of the water, don’t forget the spring from which it flows. Charles Dickens

I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time. Charles Dickens

Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle. Charles Dickens

It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations. Charles Dickens

Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true. Charles Dickens

Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration. Charles Dickens

I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world. Charles Dickens

I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Charles Dickens

It is not easy to walk alone in the country without musing upon something. Charles Dickens

There is nothing so strong or safe in an emergency of life as the simple truth. Charles Dickens

The ocean asks for nothing but those who stand by her shores gradually attune themselves to her rhythm. Charles Dickens

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other. Charles Dickens

Do the wise thing and the kind thing too, and make the best of us and not the worst. Charles Dickens

Any man may be in good spirits and good temper when he’s well dressed. There ain’t much credit in that. Charles Dickens

The year end brings no greater pleasure then the opportunity to express to you season’s greetings and good wishes. May your holidays and new year be filled with joy. Charles Dickens

We are so very umble. Charles Dickens

The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again. Charles Dickens

Little Red Riding Hood was my first love. I felt that if I could have married Little Red Riding Hood, I should have known perfect bliss. Charles Dickens

Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmastime. Charles Dickens

There are strings in the human heart that had better not be vibrated. Charles Dickens

Love her, love her, love her! If she favours you, love her. If she wounds you, love her. If she tears your heart to pieces and as it gets older and stronger, it will tear deeper love her, love her, love her!Charles Dickens

It opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens down the temper; so cry away. Charles Dickens

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. Charles Dickens

In the little world in which children have their existence, whosoever brings them up, there is nothing so finely perceived and so finely felt, as injustice. Charles Dickens

I know enough of the world now to have almost lost the capacity of being much surprised by anything. Charles Dickens

When a man bleeds inwardly, it is a dangerous thing for himself; but when he laughs inwardly, it bodes no good to other people. Charles Dickens

Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. Charles Dickens

Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you’ve conquered human nature. Charles Dickens

You know what I am going to say. I love you. What other men may mean when they use that expression, I cannot tell. What I mean is that I am under the influence of some tremendous attraction which I have resisted in vain, and which overmasters me. You could draw me to fire, you could draw me to water, you could draw me to the gallows, you could draw me to any death, you could draw me to anything I have most avoided, you could draw me to any exposure and disgrace. This and the confusion of my thoughts, so that I am fit for nothing, is what I mean by your being the ruin of me. Charles Dickens

We forge the chains we wear in life. Charles Dickens

Family not only need to consist of merely those whom we share blood, but also for those whom we’d give blood. Charles Dickens

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else. Charles Dickens

Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There’s no better rule. Charles Dickens

The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again. Charles Dickens

For not an orphan in the wide world can be so deserted as the child who is an outcast from a living parent’s love. Charles Dickens

Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, it is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress. Charles Dickens

A loving heart is the truest wisdom. Charles Dickens

Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. Charles Dickens

Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you’ve conquered human nature. Charles Dickens

Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true. Charles Dickens

Once a gentleman, and always a gentleman. Charles Dickens

A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s self. Charles Dickens

I am what you designed me to be.I am your blade. You cannot now complain if you also feel the hurt. Charles Dickens

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. Charles Dickens

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

Vices are sometimes only virtues carried to excess! Charles Dickens

Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts; nothing else will ever be of any service to them. Charles Dickens

I have known a vast quantity of nonsense talked about bad men not looking you in the face. Don’t trust that conventional idea. Dishonesty will stare honesty out of countenance any day in the week, if there is anything to be got by it. Charles Dickens