“A person who can't pay gets another person who can't pay to guarantee that he can pay. Like a person with two wooden legs getting another person with two wooden legs to guarantee that he has got two natural legs. It don't make either of them able to do a walking-match.”

Victorian English novelist and social critic. His works—including *Oliver Twist*, *Great Expectations*, and *A Christmas Carol*—pioneered serialized fiction and exposed the harsh realities of industrial-era poverty. Known for his vivid characterizations and sharp social commentary, he remains a cornerstone of English literature.