查理斯•狄更斯《雙城記》

在他那部以法國大革命為背景的名著《雙城記》中有一個非常有名的開頭： “那是最美好的時代，那是最糟糕的時代； 那是智慧的年頭，那是愚昧的年頭； 那是信仰的時期，那是懷疑的時期； 那是光明的季節，那是黑暗的季節； 那是希望的春天，那是失望的冬天； 我們全都在直奔天堂， 我們全都在直奔相反的方向– 簡而言之，那時跟現在非常相像……” (It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period……)