Through the Looking-Glass quotes
The lines readers remember from Through the Looking-Glass, by Lewis Carroll.
18 quotes · About the book
Standout lines
Just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside.
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“Do you hear the snow against the windowpanes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds!
Just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside.
I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’
It’s my opinion that you never think at all
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“
It’s my opinion that you never think at all
,” the Rose said in a rather severe tone.
Curtsey while you’re thinking what to say, it saves time.
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“I don’t know what you mean by your way,” said the Queen: “all the ways about here belong to me—but why did you come out here at all?” she added in a kinder tone. “
Curtsey while you’re thinking what to say, it saves time.
”
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!
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“A slow sort of country!” said the Queen. “
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 prettiest are always further!
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“
The prettiest are always further!
” she said at last, with a sigh at the obstinacy of the rushes in growing so far off, as, with flushed cheeks and dripping hair and hands, she scrambled back into her place, and began to arrange her newfound treasures.
What do you suppose is the use of a child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning
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“That’s just what I complain of! You should have meant!
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 important than a joke, I hope. You couldn’t deny that, even if you tried with both hands.”
All quotes
Jump to a chapter
I: Looking-Glass House
I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently?
Show the passage
“Do you hear the snow against the windowpanes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds! Just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside.
I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently?
And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’
Just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside.
Show the passage
“Do you hear the snow against the windowpanes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds!
Just as if someone was kissing the window all over outside.
I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’
II: The Garden of Live Flowers
It’s my opinion that you never think at all
Show the passage
“
It’s my opinion that you never think at all
,” the Rose said in a rather severe tone.
Curtsey while you’re thinking what to say, it saves time.
Show the passage
“I don’t know what you mean by your way,” said the Queen: “all the ways about here belong to me—but why did you come out here at all?” she added in a kinder tone. “
Curtsey while you’re thinking what to say, it saves time.
”
I’ve heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!
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The Red Queen shook her head, “You may call it ‘nonsense’ if you like,” she said, “but
I’ve heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!
”
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!
Show the passage
“A slow sort of country!” said the Queen. “
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!
”
III: Looking-Glass Insects
Language is worth a thousand pounds a word!
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The voices didn’t join in this time, as she hadn’t spoken, but to her great surprise, they all thought in chorus (I hope you understand what thinking in chorus means—for I must confess that I don’t), “Better say nothing at all.
Language is worth a thousand pounds a word!
”
IV: Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Waxworks weren’t made to be looked at for nothing, nohow!
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“If you think we’re waxworks,” he said, “you ought to pay, you know.
Waxworks weren’t made to be looked at for nothing, nohow!
”
You won’t make yourself a bit realler by crying
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“
You won’t make yourself a bit realler by crying
,” Tweedledee remarked: “there’s nothing to cry about.”
V: Wool and Water
It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards
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“
It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards
,” the Queen remarked.
Consider anything, only don’t cry!
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“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!
”
Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
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“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “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.
There goes the shawl again!”
The prettiest are always further!
Show the passage
“
The prettiest are always further!
” she said at last, with a sigh at the obstinacy of the rushes in growing so far off, as, with flushed cheeks and dripping hair and hands, she scrambled back into her place, and began to arrange her newfound treasures.
VI: Humpty Dumpty
With proper assistance, you might have left off at seven.
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“One can’t, perhaps,” said Humpty Dumpty, “but two can.
With proper assistance, you might have left off at seven.
”
VII: The Lion and the Unicorn
To be able to see Nobody! And at that distance, too!
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“I only wish I had such eyes,” the King remarked in a fretful tone. “
To be able to see Nobody! And at that distance, too!
Why, it’s as much as I can do to see real people, by this light!”
VIII: “It’s My Own Invention”
I don’t like belonging to another person’s dream
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“So I wasn’t dreaming, after all,” she said to herself, “unless—unless we’re all part of the same dream. Only I do hope it’s my dream, and not the Red King’s!
I don’t like belonging to another person’s dream
,” she went on in a rather complaining tone: “I’ve a great mind to go and wake him, and see what happens!”
It’s as strong as soup.
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“That’s hardly enough,” he said, anxiously. “You see the wind is so very strong here.
It’s as strong as soup.
”
IX: Queen Alice
What do you suppose is the use of a child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning
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“That’s just what I complain of! You should have meant!
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 important than a joke, I hope. You couldn’t deny that, even if you tried with both hands.”
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