文中提到的Oliver Twist（《霧都孤兒》），是作者著名長篇小說之一，對十九世紀工業社會的種種問題，包括貧富懸殊及勞工在惡劣環境下工作的情況，有深刻的探討。
本文作者Henry Burnet（伯內特）是狄更斯的好友。
增值英語
1 he employed himself in carrying...a little table.
句式 employ oneself in doing sth / in sth 忙於（某事），從事（某活動），相當於 engage oneself in doing sth / in sth 或 occupy / busy oneself in doing sth / with sth：
He employed himself in painting on Sundays. 每逢星期日他致力於作畫。
句式 也可用被動式 be employed in 和 be engaged in：
She was employed in watering the garden. 她正在花園裏澆水。
They were engaged in intensive training. 他們正在進行強化訓練。
2 he seated himself...
seated（就座）是個正式用語：
She seated herself next to him. 她挨著他坐下。
Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. 女士們，先生們，請坐。
3 to watch, upon the sly, the mind...
upon / on the sly 偷偷地，暗地裏：
The boys smoked on the sly. 男孩們偷偷地吸煙。
He was working for another company on the sly. 他暗地裏為另一家公司工作。
4 ...as was his habit
這句解作“（這）一如他的習慣”。
句式 as + be + n. / adj. as 在此用作代詞，意思是“這事實”“這情況”：
The night turned cold, as is usual around here. 夜晚變得很冷，在這一帶經常如此。
He is absent, as is often the case. 他現在缺席，這是經常的事情。
名言
No man is useless in this world who lightens the burden of someone else. — Charles Dickens
在這個世界上能為別人減輕負擔的人都是有用的。 —— 狄更斯