“Some of the craftiest scoundrels that ever walked this earth, or rather – for walking implies, at least, an erect position and the bearing of a man – that ever crawled and crept through life by its dirtiest and narrow ways, will gravely jot down in diaries the events of the day, and keep a regular debtor and creditor account with Heaven, which shall always show a floating balance in their own favour. Whether this is gratuitous (the only gratuitous) part of the falsehood and trickery of such men’s lives, or whether they really hope to cheat Heaven itself, and lay up treasure in the next world by the same process which as enabled them to lay up treasure in this world – not to question how it is, so it is.”
Charles Dickens, “Nicholas Nickleby”, 1837
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 