Lewis Carroll Quotes

355 Sourced Quotes

The master was an old Turtle—we used to call him Tortoise—' Why did you call him Tortoise, if he wasn't one?' Alice asked. We called him Tortoise because he taught us,' said the Mock Turtle angrily; 'really you are very dull!' You ought to be ashamed of yourself for asking such a simple question,' added the Gryphon; and then they both sat silent and looked at poor Alice, who felt ready to sink into the earth.

Lewis Carroll
Oh, when I was a little Ghost,
A merry time had we!
Each seated on his favourite post,
We chumped and chawed the buttered toast
They gave us for our tea.

Lewis Carroll
All too soon will Childhood gay
Realise Life's sober sadness.
Let's be merry while we may,
Innocent and happy Fay!
Elves were made for gladness!

Lewis Carroll
'Can you do Addition?' the White Queen said. 'What's one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one?''I don't know', said Alice. 'I lost count''She can't do Addition', the Red Queen interrupted.

Lewis Carroll
I think I should understand that better, if I had it written down: but I can't quite follow it as you say it.

Lewis Carroll
They gave it me — for an unbirthday present.

Lewis Carroll
There was once a young man of Oporta,
Who daily got shorter and shorter,
The reason he said
Was the hod on his head
Which was filled with the heaviest mortar.

Lewis Carroll
Always speak the truth — think before you speak — and write it down afterwards.

Lewis Carroll
"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"

Lewis Carroll
"Now! Now!" cried the Queen. "Faster! Faster!"

Lewis Carroll
They drew all manner of things —everything that begins with an M... such as mousetraps, and the moon, and memory, and muchness—you know you say things are "much of a muchness."

Lewis Carroll
The dying crimson of the West
That faintly tinged his haggard cheek,
Fell on her as she stood, and shed
A glory round the patient head.

Lewis Carroll
The chief difficulty Alice found at first was in managing her flamingo.

Lewis Carroll
When you are describing
A shape, or sound, or tint;
Don't state the matter plainly,
But put it in a hint;
And learn to look at all things
With a sort of mental squint.

Lewis Carroll
The air is bright with hues of light
And rich with laughter and with singing:
Young hearts beat high in ecstasy,
And banners wave, and bells are ringing:
But silence falls with fading day,
And there's an end to mirth and play.
Ah, well-a-day!

Lewis Carroll
'It's the oldest rule in the book,' said the King.
'Then it ought to be Number One,' said Alice.

Lewis Carroll
'Tis the voice of the Lobster: I heard him declare
'You have baked me too brown, I must sugar my hair.'

Lewis Carroll
An island-farm — broad seas of corn
Stirred by the wandering breath of morn —
The happy spot where I was born.

Lewis Carroll
If doubtful whether to end with yours faithfully, or yours truly, or your most truly, &c. (there are at least a dozen varieties, before you reach yours affectionately), refer to your correspondent's last letter, and make your winding-up at least as friendly as his: in fact, even if a shade more friendly, it will do no harm!

Lewis Carroll
In a Wonderland they lie, Dreaming as the days go by, Dreaming as the summers die: Ever drifting down the stream- Lingering in the golden gleam- Life, what is it but a dream?

Lewis Carroll
And if you take one from three hundred and sixty-five what remains?" "Three hundred and sixty-four, of course." Humpty Dumpty looked doubtful, "I'd rather see that done on paper," he said.

Lewis Carroll
They've a temper, some of them — particularly verbs, they're the proudest — adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs — however, I can manage the whole lot of them!

Lewis Carroll
'It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,' the Queen remarked.

Lewis Carroll
"If it had grown up," she said to herself, "it would have made a dreadfully ugly child; but it makes rather a handsome pig, I think."

Lewis Carroll
"That narrow window, I expect,
Serves but to let the dusk in - "
"But please," said I, "to recollect
'Twas fashioned by an architect
Who pinned his faith on Ruskin!"

Lewis Carroll
If he smiled much more, the ends of his mouth might meet behind, and then I don't know what would happen to his head! I'm afraid it would come off!

Lewis Carroll
'Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin,' thought Alice; 'but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in my life!'

Lewis Carroll
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!'

Lewis Carroll
I wish I hadn't cried so much! said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. I shall be punished for it now, I suppose, by being drowned in my own tears !

Lewis Carroll
It'll be no use their putting their heads down and saying "Come up again, dear!" I shall only look up and say "Who am I then? Tell me that first, and then, if I like being that person, I'll come up: if not, I'll stay down here till I'm somebody else"—but, oh dear!' cried Alice, with a sudden burst of tears, 'I do wish they WOULD put their heads down! I am so VERY tired of being all alone here!

Lewis Carroll