“ There are some upon this earth of yours . . . who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us. ”
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843). copy citation
| Author | Charles Dickens |
|---|---|
| Source | A Christmas Carol |
| Topic | hypocrisy bigotry zealots |
| Date | 1843 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm |
Context
“said Scrooge. «And it comes to the same thing.»
«I seek!» exclaimed the Spirit.
«Forgive me if I am wrong. It has been done in your name, or at least in that of your family,» said Scrooge.
«There are some upon this earth of yours,» returned the Spirit, «who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us.»
Scrooge promised that he would; and they went on, invisible, as they had been before, into the suburbs of the town. It was a remarkable quality of the Ghost (which Scrooge had observed at the baker's), that notwithstanding his gigantic size, he could accommodate himself to any place with ease; and that he stood beneath a low roof quite as gracefully and like a supernatural creature, as it was possible he could have done in any lofty hall.” source
«I seek!» exclaimed the Spirit.
«Forgive me if I am wrong. It has been done in your name, or at least in that of your family,» said Scrooge.
«There are some upon this earth of yours,» returned the Spirit, «who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us.»
Scrooge promised that he would; and they went on, invisible, as they had been before, into the suburbs of the town. It was a remarkable quality of the Ghost (which Scrooge had observed at the baker's), that notwithstanding his gigantic size, he could accommodate himself to any place with ease; and that he stood beneath a low roof quite as gracefully and like a supernatural creature, as it was possible he could have done in any lofty hall.” source
Meaning and analysis
