Huzzah! Today marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens.
As befits a man who cast such a massive shadow over British (and world) literature, there are celebrations throughout England honoring his legacy. During his astonishingly prolific career as a novelist, journalist, social crusader and tireless defender of the downtrodden, Dickens was dedicated to making the here and now better than the here and then.
And he left us with marvelous quotations, never more relevant than during a presidential campaign. Such as:
"Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts."
"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else."
"Family not only need to consist of merely those whom we share blood, but also for those whom we'd give blood."
"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."
"With affection beaming out of one eye, and calculation shining out of the other."
"The age of chivalry is past. Bores have succeeded to dragons."
"We must meet reverses boldly, and not suffer them to frighten us, my dear. We must learn to act the play out. We must live misfortune down, Trot."
"The civility which money will purchase, is rarely extended to those who have none."
"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."
"There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart."
"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."
Good day, sir!