“这是最好的时代，也是最坏的时代”出自英国作家查尔斯·狄更斯的小说 《双城记》的开篇第一句。原文为：

> 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 to hell.

这句话是法国大革命爆发前，社会矛盾最尖锐、社会动荡不安的年代的真实写照，同时也体现了狄更斯对当时社会的深刻思考和深切同情。