Which well known author said: "For gold conjures up a mist about a man, more destructive of all his old senses and lulling to his feelings than the fumes of charcoal.”?

“For gold conjures up a mist about a man, more destructive of all his old senses and lulling to his feelings than the fumes ....” is a famous quote by the renowned Charles Dickens. It is a quote found in Dickens's novel, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Chapter One. Here, as with most if not all of his novels, Dickens is very concerned about how gold truly annihilates the souls of men.

Also, noting personal facts about Charles Dickens (1812-1870), he was an English Victorian era author who wrote numerous highly acclaimed novels. During his lifetime, he became known the world over for his remarkable characters, his mastery of prose in the telling of their lives, and his depictions of the social classes, mores and values of his times. Some considered him the spokesman for the poor, for he definitely brought much awareness to their plight. He indeed may have seen himself as a sort of radical moralist. He showed a real deep concern for the social and political welfare of all human beings.

He nonetheless had his share of critics like Virginia Woolf and Henry James; but, he also had many admirers, even into the 21st Century.