Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgeson)

 All in the golden afternoon
    Full leisurely we glide;
 For both our oars, with little skill,
    By little arms are plied,
 While little hands make vain pretense
    Our wanderings to guide.
                                     -- Opening poem, first verse.

 Thus grew the tale of Wonderland:
    Thus slowly, one by one,
 Its quaint events were hammered out—
    And now our tale is done
 And home we steer, a merry crew,
    Beneath the setting sun.
                                     -- Opening poem, sixth verse

 Alice! a childish story take,
    And with a gentle hand
 Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined
    In Memory's mystic band,
 Like pilgrim's withered wreath of flowers
    Plucked in a far-off land.
                                     -- Opening poem, final verse

• Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversations?' ~ First chapter, opening paragraph.

• There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so very much out of the ordinary to hear the Rabbit say to itself 'Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!' ...but when the Rabbit actually took a watch out its waistcoat pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice startled to her feet. ~ First chapter

• After a fall such as this, I shall think nothing of tumbling downstairs! ~ Alice, first chapter.

• If you drink from a bottle marked 'poison' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later. ~ first chapter

• Curiouser and curiouser! ~ Alice, Chapter 2

• Oh my fur and whiskers! ~ The White Rabbit, Chapter 4.

• 'I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir,' said Alice, 'Because I'm not myself you see.' ~ Chapter 5 (to the Caterpillar)

 'You are old Father William,' the young man said,
    'And your hair has become very white;
 And yet you incessantly stand on your head—
    Do you think at your age it is right?' 
                                      -- Alice, Chapter 5

• 'You don't know much,' said the Duchess,'And that's a fact.' ~ the Duchess, Chapter 6

 "Speak roughly to your little boy,
    And beat him when he sneezes:
  He only does is to annoy,
    Because he knows it teases."

                            Chorus
                      "Wow!wow!wow!"

 "I speak severely to my boy,
    I beat him when he sneezes;
  For he can then throughly enjoy
    The pepper when he pleases!"

                            Chorus
                      "Wow!wow!wow!"
                                      -- the Duchess, Chapter 6

• 'In that direction,' the Cat said, waving its right paw round, 'lives a Hatter: and in that direction,' waving the other paw, 'lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they're both mad.' ~ Chapter 6

• Why is a raven like a writing desk? ~ The Mad Hatter, Chapter 7

• I told you butter wouldn't suit the works, The Mad Hatter (about his watch) ~ Chapter 7

• Twinkle twinkle little bat!/How I wonder what you're at! ~ Mad Hatter, Chapter 7

• You know you say that things are 'much of a muchness'— did you ever see a drawing of a muchness? ~ Mad Hatter, Chapter 7

• Off with his head! ~ The Queen of Hearts, Chapter 8 and passim

• We called him Tortoise because he taught us,' the Mock Turtle, Chapter 9

• Sentence first, verdict afterwards. The Queen of Hearts ~ Chapter 12

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