The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations

the tide.’

‘David Copperfield’ (1850) ch. 30

Mrs Crupp had indignantly assured him that there wasn’t room to swing a cat there; but, as Mr Dick justly observed to me, sitting down on the foot of the bed, nursing his leg, ‘You know, Trotwood, I don’t want to swing a cat. I never do swing a cat. Therefore, what does that signify to me!’

‘David Copperfield’ (1850) ch. 35

It’s only my child-wife.

‘David Copperfield’ (1850) ch. 44 (of Dora)

Circumstances beyond my individual control.

‘David Copperfield’ (1850) ch. 49 (Mr Micawber)

I’m Gormed—and I can’t say no fairer than that!

‘David Copperfield’ (1850) ch. 63 (Mr Pegotty)

4.52.6 Dombey and Son

He’s tough, ma’am, tough is J.B. Tough, and devilish sly!

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 7 (Major Bagstock)

Papa! What’s money?

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 8 (Paul Dombey)

There was no light nonsense about Miss Blimber...she was dry and sandy with working in the graves of deceased languages. None of your live languages for Miss Blimber. They must be dead —stone dead—and then Miss Blimber dug them up like a Ghoul.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 11

As to Mr Feeder, B.A., Doctor Blimber’s assistant, he was a kind of human barrel-organ, with a little list of tunes at which he was continually working, over and over again, without any variation.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 11

If I could have known Cicero, and been his friend, and talked with him in his retirement at Tusculum (beau-ti-ful Tusculum), I could have died contented.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 11 (Mrs Blimber)

In the Proverbs of Solomon you will find the following words, ‘May we never want a friend in need, nor a bottle to give him!’ When found, make a note of.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 15 (Captain Cuttle)

What the waves were always saying.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) title of ch. 16

Cows are my passion.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 21 (Mrs Skewton)

It’s of no consequence.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 22 (Mr Toots)

The bearings of this observation lays in the application of it.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 23 (Bunsby)

Say, like those wicked Turks, there is no What’s-his-name but Thingummy, and What-you- may-call-it is his prophet!

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 27 (Mrs Skewton)

I positively adore Miss Dombey;—I—I am perfectly sore with loving her.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 30 (Mr Toots)

If you could see my legs when I take my boots off, you’d form some idea of what unrequited affection is.

‘Dombey and Son’ (1848) ch. 48 (Mr Toots)

4.52.7 The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Stranger, pause and ask thyself the question, Canst thou do likewise? If not, with a blush retire.

‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ (1870) ch. 4

‘Dear me,’ said Mr Grewgious, peeping in, ‘it’s like looking down the throat of Old Time.’

‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ (1870) ch. 9

4.52.8 Great Expectations

Your sister is given to government.

‘Great Expectations’ (1861) ch. 7 (Joe Gargery)

‘He calls the knaves, Jacks, this boy,’ said Estella with disdain, before our first game was out.

‘Great Expectations’ (1861) ch. 8

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.

‘Great Expectations’ (1861) ch. 8

I had cherished a profound conviction that her bringing me up by hand, gave her no right to bring me up by jerks.

‘Great Expectations’ (1861) ch. 8

It is a most miserable thing to feel ashamed of home.

‘Great Expectations’ (1861) ch. 14

On the Rampage, Pip, and off the Rampage, Pip; such is Life!

‘Great Expectations’ (1861) ch. 15 (Joe Gargery)

4.52.9 Hard Times

Now, what I want is, Facts...Facts alone are wanted in life.

‘Hard Times’ (1854) bk. 1, ch. 1 (Mr Gradgrind)

Ah, Rachael, aw a muddle! Fro’ first to last, a muddle!

‘Hard Times’ (1854) bk. 3, ch. 6 (Stephen Blackpool)

People mutht be amuthed. They can’t be alwayth a learning, nor yet they can’t be alwayth a working, they an’t made for it.

‘Hard Times’ (1854) bk. 3, ch. 8 (Mr Sleary)

4.52.10 Little Dorrit

Whatever was required to be done, the Circumlocution Office was beforehand with all the public departments in the art of perceiving—HOW NOT TO DO IT.

‘Little Dorrit’ (1857) bk. 1, ch. 10

Look here. Upon my soul you mustn’t come into the place saying you want to know, you know.

‘Little Dorrit’ (1857) bk. 1, ch. 10 (Barnacle Junior)

There’s milestones on the Dover Road!

‘Little Dorrit’ (1857) bk. 1, ch. 23 (Mr F.’s Aunt)

I revere the memory of Mr F. as an estimable man and most indulgent husband, only necessary to mention Asparagus and it appeared or to hint at any little delicate thing to drink and it came like magic in a pint bottle it was not ecstasy but it was comfort.

‘Little Dorrit’ (1857) bk. 1, ch. 24 (Flora Finching)

As to marriage on the part of a man, my dear, Society requires that he should retrieve his fortunes by marriage. Society requires that he should gain by marriage. Society requires that he should found a handsome establishment by marriage. Society does not see, otherwise, what he has to do with marriage.

‘Little Dorrit’ (1857) bk. 1, ch. 33 (Mrs Merdle)

Father is rather vulgar, my dear. The word Papa, besides, gives a pretty form to the lips. Papa, potatoes, poultry, prunes, and prism, are all very good words for the lips: especially prunes and prism.

‘Little Dorrit’ (1857) bk. 2, ch. 5 (Mrs General)

Once a gentleman, and always a gentleman.

‘Little Dorrit’ (1857) bk. 2, ch. 28 (Rigaud)

4.52.11 Martin Chuzzlewit

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

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 5 (Mark Tapley)

Affection beaming in one eye, and calculation shining out of the other.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 8 (Mrs Todgers)

Charity and Mercy. Not unholy names, I hope?

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 9 (Mr Pecksniff)

Let us be moral. Let us contemplate existence.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 9 (Mr Pecksniff)

Here’s the rule for bargains: ‘Do other men, for they would do you.’ That’s the true business precept.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 11 (Jonas Chuzzlewit)

‘Mrs Harris,’ I says, ‘leave the bottle on the chimley-piece, and don’t ask me to take none, but let me put my lips to it when I am so dispoged.’

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 19 (Mrs Gamp)

Some people...may be Rooshans, and others may be Prooshans; they are born so, and will please themselves. Them which is of other naturs thinks different.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 19 (Mrs Gamp)

Therefore I do require it, which I makes confession, to be brought reg’lar and draw’d mild.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 25 (Mrs Gamp on her ‘half a pint of porter’)

She’s the sort of woman...one would almost feel disposed to bury for nothing: and do it neatly, too!

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 25 (Mould)

He’d make a lovely corpse.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 25 (Mrs Gamp)

All the wickedness of the world is print to him.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 26 (Mrs Gamp)

‘Sairey,’ says Mrs Harris, ‘sech is life. Vich likeways is the hend of all things!’

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 29 (Mrs Gamp)

We never knows wot’s hidden in each other’s hearts; and if we had glass winders there, we’d need keep the shutters up, some on us, I do assure you!

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 29 (Mrs Gamp)

Our fellow-countryman is a model of a man, quite fresh from Natur’s mould!...Rough he may be. So air our Barrs. Wild he may be. So air our Buffalers. But he is the child of Natur’, and a child of Freedom; and his boastful answer to the Despot and the Tyrant is, that his bright home is in the Settin Sun.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 34 (Pogram)

‘Mind and matter,’ said the lady in the wig, ‘glide swift into the vortex of immensity. Howls the sublime, and softly sleeps the calm Ideal, in the whispering chambers of Imagination.’

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 34

‘The Ankworks package,’...’I wish it was in Jonadge’s belly, I do,’ cried Mrs Gamp; appearing to confound the prophet with the whale in this miraculous aspiration.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 40

And what a Life Young Bailey’s was!

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 49 (Poll Sweedlepipe)

‘Who deniges of it?’ Mrs Gamp enquired.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 49

His ’owls was organs.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 49 (Mrs Gamp)

No, Betsey! Drink fair, wotever you do!

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 49 (Mrs Gamp)

The words she spoke of Mrs Harris, lambs could not forgive...nor worms forget.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 49 (Mrs Gamp)

Farewell! Be the proud bride of a ducal coronet, and forget me!...Unalterably, never yours, Augustus.

‘Martin Chuzzlewit’ (1844) ch. 54 (Augustus Moddle)

4.52.12 Nicholas Nickleby

United Metropolitan Improved Hot Muffin and Crumpet Baking and Punctual Delivery Company.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 2

Education.—At Mr Wackford Squeers’s Academy, Dotheboys Hall, at the delightful village of Dotheboys, near Greta Bridge in Yorkshire, Youth are boarded, clothed, booked, furnished with pocket-money, provided with all necessaries, instructed in all languages living and dead, mathematics, orthography, geometry, astronomy, trigonometry, the use of the globes, algebra, single stick (if required), writing, arithmetic, fortification, and every other branch of classical literature. Terms, twenty guineas per annum. No extras, no vacations, and diet unparalleled.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 3

He had but one eye, and the popular prejudice runs in favour of two.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 4 (Mr Squeers)

Serve it right for being so dear.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 5 (Mr Squeers)

Here’s richness!

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 5 (Mr Squeers)

Subdue your appetites my dears, and you’ve conquered human natur.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 5 (Mr Squeers)

C-l-e-a-n, clean, verb active, to make bright, to scour. W-i-n, win, d-e-r, der, winder, a casement. When the boy knows this out of the book, he goes and does it.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 8 (Mr Squeers)

As she frequently remarked when she made any such mistake, it would be all the same a hundred years hence.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 9 (Mrs Squeers)

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

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 10 (Miss La Creevy)

Sir, My pa requests me to write to you, the doctors considering it doubtful whether he will ever recuvver the use of his legs which prevents his holding a pen.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 15 (Fanny Squeers)

‘It’s very easy to talk,’ said Mrs Mantalini. ‘Not so easy when one is eating a demnition egg,’ replied Mr Mantalini; ‘for the yolk runs down the waistcoat, and yolk of egg does not match any waistcoat but a yellow waistcoat, demmit.’

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 17

Language was not powerful enough to describe the infant phenomenon.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 23

The unities, sir...are a completeness—a kind of universal dovetailedness with regard to place and time.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 24 (Mr Curdle)

She’s the only sylph I ever saw, who could stand upon one leg, and play the tambourine on her other knee, like a sylph.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 25 (Mr Crummles)

Bring in the bottled lightning, a clean tumbler, and a corkscrew.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 49 (The Gentleman in the Small-clothes)

All is gas and gaiters.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 49 (The Gentleman in the Small-clothes)

My life is one demd horrid grind!

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 64 (Mr Mantalini)

He has gone to the demnition bow-wows.

‘Nicholas Nickleby’ (1839) ch. 64 (Mr Mantalini)

4.52.13 The Old Curiosity Shop

What is the odds so long as the fire of soul is kindled at the taper of conwiviality, and the wing of friendship never moults a feather!

‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ (1841) ch. 2 (Dick Swiveller)

Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship; and pass the rosy wine.

‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ (1841) ch. 7 (Dick Swiveller)

Codlin’s the friend, not Short.

‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ (1841) ch. 19 (Codlin)

If I know’d a donkey wot wouldn’t go To see Mrs Jarley’s waxwork show, Do you think I’d acknowledge him, Oh no no!

‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ (1841) ch. 27 (Codlin)

I never nursed a dear Gazelle, to glad me with its soft black eye, but when it came to know me well, and love me, it was sure to marry a market-gardener.

‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ (1841) ch. 56 (Dick Swiveller).

It was a maxim with Foxey—our revered father, gentlemen—’Always suspect everybody.’

‘The Old Curiosity Shop’ (1841) ch. 66 (Sampson Brass)

4.52.14 Oliver Twist

Please, sir, I want some more.

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 2 (Oliver)

Known by the sobriquet of ‘The artful Dodger.’

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 8

There is a passion for hunting something deeply implanted in the human breast.

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 10

I only know two sorts of boys. Mealy boys, and beef-faced boys.

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 14 (Mr Grimwig)

Oh, Mrs Corney, what a prospect this opens! What a opportunity for a jining of hearts and house-keepings!

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 27 (Bumble)

This ain’t the shop for justice.

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 43 (The Artful Dodger)

‘If the law supposes that,’ said Mr Bumble ... ‘the law is a ass—a idiot.’

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 51 (Bumble).

Strike them all dead! What right have they to butcher me?

‘Oliver Twist’ (1838) ch. 52 (Fagin)

4.52.15 Our Mutual Friend

A literary man—with a wooden leg.

‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1865) bk.1, ch. 5 (Mr Boffin, on Silas Wegg)

Professionally he declines and falls, and as a friend he drops into poetry.

‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1865) bk.1, ch. 5 (Mr Boffin, on Silas Wegg)

Meaty jelly, too, especially when a little salt, which is the case when there’s ham, is mellering to the organ.

‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1865) bk.1, ch. 5 (Silas Wegg)

There is in the Englishman a combination of qualities, a modesty, an independence, a responsibility, a repose, combined with an absence of everything calculated to call a blush into the cheek of a young person, which one would seek in vain among the Nations of the Earth.

‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1865) bk.1, ch. 11 (Mr Podsnap)

A slap-up gal in a bang-up chariot.

‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1865) bk. 2, ch. 8

He’d be sharper than a serpent’s tooth, if he wasn’t as dull as ditch water.

‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1865) bk. 3, ch. 10 (Fanny Cleaver)

I want to be something so much worthier than the doll in the doll’s house.

‘Our Mutual Friend’ (1865) bk. 4, ch. 5 (Bella)

4.52.16 Pickwick Papers

Heads, heads, take care of your heads....Five children—mother—tall lady, eating sandwiches— forgot the arch—crash—knock—children look round—mother’s head off—sandwich in her hand —no mouth to put it in—head of a family off—shocking, shocking!

‘Pickwick Papers’ (1837) ch. 2 (Jingle)

‘I was ruminating,’ said Mr Pickwick, ‘on the strange mutability of human affairs.’ ‘Ah, I see— in at the palace door one day, out at the window the next. Philosopher, sir?’ ‘An observer of human nature, sir,’ said Mr Pickwick.

‘Pickwick Papers’ (1837) ch. 2

Kent, sir—everybody knows Kent—apples, cherries, hops, and women.

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) bk. 1, ch. 1

I pass my whole life, miss, in turning an immense pecuniary Mangle.

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) bk. 1, ch. 4 (Mr Lorry)

A likely thing...If it was ever intended that I should go across salt water, do you suppose Providence would have cast my lot in an island?

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) bk. 1, ch. 4 (Miss Pross)

If you must go flopping yourself down, flop in favour of your husband and child, and not in opposition to ’em.

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) bk. 2, ch. 1 (Jerry Cruncher)

‘It is possible—that it may not come, during our lives...We shall not see the triumph.’ ‘We shall have helped it,’ returned madame.

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) bk. 2, ch. 16 (Monsieur and Madame Defarge)

There might be medical doctors...a cocking their medical eyes.

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) bk. 3, ch. 9 (Jerry Cruncher)

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.

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) bk. 3, ch. 15 (Sydney Carton’s thoughts on the scaffold)

4.52.19 Speech at Birmingham and Midland Institute

My faith in the people governing is, on the whole, infinitesimal; my faith in The People governed is, on the whole, illimitable.

Speech at Birmingham and Midland Institute, 27 September 1869, in K. J. Fielding (ed.) ‘The Speeches of Charles Dickens’ (1960)

4.53 Emily Dickinson 1830-86

After great pain, a formal feeling comes— The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs— The stiff Heart questions was it He, that bore, And Yesterday, or Centuries before?

‘After great pain, a formal feeling comes’ (1862)

This is the Hour of Lead— Remembered, if outlived,

As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow— First—Chill—then Stupor—then the letting go.

‘After great pain, a formal feeling comes’ (1862)

Because I could not stop for Death— He kindly stopped for me—

The Carriage held but just Ourselves— And Immortality.

‘Because I could not stop for Death’ (c.1863)