Lewis Carroll Quotes

British author and scholar (1832–1898)

Lewis Carroll (born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898) was an English author, mathematician, Anglican clergyman, logician, and amateur photographer. His father was Charles Dodgson (archdeacon), his great-grandfather was Charles Dodgson (bishop) and his nephew was Stuart Dodgson Collingwood.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Birth Name: Charles Lutwidge Dodgson

Alternative Names: Charles Dodgson • Lewis Caroll • Lewis Carroll Dodgson • Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) • Rev. C. L. Dodgson • Charles L. Dodgson • Lewis Caroll Dodgson • C. L. Dodgson

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You couldn't have it if you DID want it.

Put the date in full. It is another aggravating thing, when you wish, years afterwards, to arrange a series of letters, to find them dated "Feb. 17", "Aug. 2", without any year to guide you as to which comes first. And never, never, dear Madam (N.B. this remark is addressed to ladies only: no man would ever do such a thing), put "Wednesday", simply, as the date!

We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad. [...] You must be, or you wouldn't be here.

When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more, nor less.

"And what is the use of a book," thought Alice, "without pictures or conversation?"

Look after the senses and the sounds will look after themselves

"The time has come," the walrus said, "to talk of many things: Of shoes and ships - and sealing wax - of cabbages and kings"

"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!"

It is better to be feared than loved.

"Come back!" the Caterpillar called after her. "I've something important to say."
This sounded promising, certainly. Alice turned and came back again.
"Keep your temper," said the Caterpillar.

And how many hours a day did you do lessons?' said Alice, in a hurry to change the subject.
Ten hours the first day,' said the Mock Turtle: 'nine the next, and so on.'
What a curious plan!' exclaimed Alice.
That's the reason they're called lessons,' the Gryphon remarked: 'because they lessen from day to day.

The executioner's argument was that you couldn't cut of something's head unless there was a trunk to sever it from. He'd never done anything like that in his time of life, and wasn't going to start now.

The King's argument was that anything that had a head, could be beheaded, and you weren't to talk nonsense.

The Queen's argument was that if something wasn't done about it in less than no time, she'd have everyone beheaded all round.

It was this last argument that had everyone looking so nervous and uncomfortable.

And she arose, and in that darkening room Stood lonely as a spirit of the night — Stood calm and fearless in the gathered night — And raised her eyes to heaven. There were tears Upon her face, but in her heart was peace. Peace that the world nor gives nor takes away!

Whenever the horse stopped (which it did very often), he fell off in front; and, whenever it went on again (which it generally did rather suddenly), he fell off behind. Otherwise he kept on pretty well, except that he had a habit of now and then falling off sideways; and, as he generally did this on the side on which Alice was walking, she soon found that it was the best plan not to walk quite close to the horse.

Yes, that's it! Said the Hatter with a sigh, it's always tea time.