Thirty Days of First Lines: Day 28

Great first lines from Dickens’ could fill up a list of 30 with ease, but in the spirit of avoiding some of the old warhorses, I offer the low-key delight of the opening of Nicholas Nickleby.

There once lived, in a sequestered part of the county of Devonshire, one Mr Godfrey Nickleby: a worthy gentleman, who, taking it into his head rather late in life that he must get married, and not being young enough or rich enough to aspire to the hand of a lady of fortune, had wedded an old flame out of mere attachment, who in her turn had taken him for the same reason. Thus two people who cannot afford to play cards for money, sometimes sit down to a quiet game for love.