Quotes from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“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, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Speak in French when you can’t think of the English for a thing--
turn your toes out when you walk---
And remember who you are!”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’

’The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’

’The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master — that’s all.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday—but never jam to-day.”
“It must come sometimes to ‘jam to-day,’” Alice objected.
“No, it ca’n’t,” said the Queen. “It’s jam every other day: to-day isn’t any other day, you know”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“It is a very inconvenient habit of kittens (Alice had once made the remark) that whatever you say to them, they always purr.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Thy loving smile will surely hail
The love-gift of a fairy tale.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Well, now that we have seen each other," said the unicorn, "if you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more, nor less.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Still she haunts me, phantomwise,
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“He said he would come in,' the White Queen went on, `because he was looking for a hippopotamus. Now, as it happened, there wasn't such a thing in the house, that morning.'
Is there generally?' Alice asked in an astonished tone.
Well, only on Thursdays,' said the Queen.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Better say nothing at all. Language is worth a thousand pounds a word!”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Crawling at your feet,' said the Gnat (Alice drew her feet back in some alarm), `you may observe a Bread-and-Butterfly. Its wings are thin slices of Bread-and-butter, its body is a crust, and its head is a lump of sugar.'

And what does IT live on?'

Weak tea with cream in it.'

A new difficulty came into Alice's head. `Supposing it couldn't find any?' she suggested.

Then it would die, of course.'

But that must happen very often,' Alice remarked thoughtfully.

It always happens,' said the Gnat.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“I wish I could manage to be glad!" the Queen said. "Only I never can remember the rule. You must be very happy, living in this wood, and being glad whenever you like!”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“And if he left off dreaming about you, where do you suppose you'd be?”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“One thing was certain, that the white kitten had had nothing to do with it-- it was the black kitten's fault entirely.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“You couldn't have it if you DID want it.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“What do you suppose is the use of a child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning-- and a child's more imporant than a joke, I hope. You couldn't deny that, even if you tried with both hands.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently?”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“It's a large as life and twice as natural”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday--but never jam to-day.'

'It MUST come sometimes to "jam to-day,"' Alice objected.

'No, it can't,' said the Queen. '
It's jam every OTHER day: to-day isn't any OTHER day, you know.'

'I don't understand you,' said Alice. 'It's dreadfully confusing!'

'That's the effect of living backwards,' the Queen said kindly: 'it always makes one a little giddy at first--'

'Living backwards!' Alice repeated in great astonishment. 'I never heard of such a thing!'

'--but there's one great advantage in it, that one's memory works both ways.'

‘I'm sure MINE only works one way,' Alice remarked. 'I can't remember things before they happen.'

'It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards,' the Queen remarked.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“I daresay you haven't had much practice. When I was your age I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Alice had begun with 'Let's pretend we're kings and queens;' and her sister, who liked being exact, had argued that they couldn't, because there were only two of them, and Alice hand been reduced at last to say, 'Well, you can be one of them then, and I'll be the rest.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“When I use a word, it means just what i choose it to mean. Neither more nor less.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying over head--
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it WOULD be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him.
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

"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!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now if you're ready Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue,
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf--
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said.
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size.
Holding his pocket handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter.
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none--
And that was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Who did you pass on the road?" the King went on, holding out his hand to the Messenger for some more hay.
"Nobody," said the Messenger.
"Quite right," said the King; "this young lady saw him too. So of course Nobody walks slower than you."
"I do my best," the Messenger said in a sullen tone. "I'm sure nobody walks much faster than I do!"
"He can't do that," said the King, "or else he'd have been here first.”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

“Oh, don't go on like that!' cried the poor Queen, wringing her hands in despair. 'Consider what a great girl you are. Consider what a long way you've come today. Consider what o'clock it is. Consider anything, only don't cry!”
― Lewis Carroll, quote from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

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BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.

We thoughtfully gather quotes from our favorite books, both classic and current, and choose the ones that are most thought-provoking. Each quote represents a book that is interesting, well written and has potential to enhance the reader’s life. We also accept submissions from our visitors and will select the quotes we feel are most appealing to the BookQuoters community.

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