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Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’
‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.
‘I don’t much care where–‘ said Alice.
‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.
‘–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,’ Alice added as an explanation.
‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk long enough.’

Lewis Carroll (1865)



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 things.’
‘The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master―that’s all.

Lewis Carroll (1871)



“The horror of that moment,” the King went on, “I shall never forget!”
“You will, though,” the Queen said, “if you don’t make a memorandum of it.”

Lewis Carroll (1871)



You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead –
There were no birds to fly.

Lewis Carroll (1871)



“There’s no use trying … one can’t believe impossible things,” [said Alice.]
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day.”

Lewis Carroll (1865)



But I don’t want to go among mad people,’ said Alice.
‘Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat. ‘We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.’
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”

Lewis Carroll (1865)