“Calamity with us, is made an excuse for doing wrong. With them, it is erected into a reason for their doing right. This is really the justice of rich to poor, and I protest against it because it is so.”

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.