Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress. Illustrated

In a grim workhouse tucked away from the bustle of any named town, a newborn’s first cries echo through cold stone walls. From his very first breath, the infant is cradled by indifference—an overworked surgeon, a weary nurse, and the stark machinery of poverty. Their careless kindness barely masks the harsh reality that surrounds the child, whose very existence is a reluctant burden on the parish.

As the boy grows, the workhouse becomes both his prison and his first school, teaching him the harsh rules of survival among the destitute. He learns to navigate a world where hunger is a constant companion and authority is often cruel. Yet even in these bleak surroundings, a spark of resilience flickers, hinting at the extraordinary path that will soon pull him away from the soot‑filled corridors and into a wider, unpredictable London.