Old Marley was dead as a doornail... The wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile.

The sergeant was describing a military life. It was all drinking, he said, except that there were frequent intervals of eating and love making.

The town was glad with morning light; places that had shown ugly and distrustful all night long, now wore a smile; and sparkling sunbeams dancing on chamber windows, and twinkling through blind and curtain before sleepers’ eyes, shed light even into dreams, and chased away the shadows of the night.

All partings foreshadow the great final one.

Never," said my aunt, "be mean in anything; never be false; never be cruel. Avoid those three vices, Trot, and I can always be hopeful of you.

I am light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy

"O, Mrs. Clennam, Mrs. Clennam," said Little Dorrit, "angry feelings and unforgiving deeds are no comfort and no guide to you and me."