Charles Dickens on the Best and Worst of Times

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.

-- Charles Dickens (A Tale of Two Cities)