Lewis Carroll quotes

“and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice “without pictures or conversations?”

— Spoken by a character · I. Down the Rabbit-Hole

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

— Spoken by a character · VI. Pig and Pepper

“we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”

— the Cat · VI. Pig and Pepper

“I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”

— Alice · V. Advice from a Caterpillar

“Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

— the King · XII. Alice’s Evidence

But if I’m not the same, the next question is, Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle!

— Spoken by a character · II. The Pool of Tears

In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.

I almost wish I hadn’t gone down that rabbit-hole—and yet—and yet—it’s rather curious, you know, this sort of life!

— Spoken by a character · IV. The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill

Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I’ve been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different.

— Spoken by a character · II. The Pool of Tears

“If you knew Time as well as I do,” said the Hatter, “you wouldn’t talk about wasting it. It’s him.”

— the Hatter · VII. A Mad Tea-Party

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?

“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!”

— the Queen · II. The Garden of Live Flowers

It’s a great huge game of chess that’s being played—all over the world—if this is the world at all, you know.

— Spoken by a character · II. The Garden of Live Flowers

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!”

— Spoken by a character · I. Looking-Glass house

Still she haunts me, phantomwise, Alice moving under skies Never seen by waking eyes.

Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

— the Queen · V. Wool and Water

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

— the Queen · V. Wool and Water

“And if he left off dreaming about you, where do you suppose you’d be?”

— Tweedledee · IV. Tweedledum And Tweedledee

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

— Spoken by a character · I. Looking-Glass house