“Are there no prisons?”
“Plenty of prisons…”
“And the Union workhouses.” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?”
“Both very busy, sir…”
“Those who are badly off must go there.”
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”
― Charles Dickens
Dickens , the benchmark for all that came after.
Born in Portsmouth, England, Dickens was forced to leave school to work in a factory when his father was thrown into debtors’ prison. Although he had little formal education, his early impoverishment drove him to succeed. Over his career he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children’s rights, education, and other social reforms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens#Journalism_and_early_novels
Dickens also taught himself short-hand and became something of a renowned practitioner of the now lost art.
One can read all Dickens works here…
http://www.archives.org/
And then this , which provides so much insight of the like and works of Dickens as to be indepsanble in understanding Dickens , the man.
Appreciations and Criticisms of the Works of Charles Dickens by G. K. Chesterton
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22362
Dickens – unmatched.
and then came the fall..
“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
― H.L. Mencken
The Prevaricator-n-Chief doing what he does best.
Obama: “uh umm, you give me this office and in turn my, fears, doubts, insecurities, foibles, need for sleep, family life, vacations, leisure is gone. I am giving my self to you.”