Mr -, ever-optimistic David Copperfield character (8)

I believe the answer is:

micawber

(Other definitions for micawber that I've seen before include "cheery clerk" , "Mr -- (David Copperfield)" , "An incurable optimist" , "Dickens's Wilkins" , "Dickensian character always "waiting for something to turn up"" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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