(in celebration of 498 preceding posts / anlässlich von 498 vorausgegangenen Posts)

Post # 499 What the Dormouse said

• „Well, at any rate, the Dormouse* said –“ the Hatter went on, looking anxiously round to see if he would deny it too: but the Dormouse denied nothing, being fast asleep (Wonderland p.154-5)
• “Contrariwise,” continued Tweedledee, “if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.” (Looking-Glass p.65)
• “When I use a word, “Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather 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 different things.” “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – that’s all.” (p.112)
• It is a very inconvenient habit of kittens … that, whatever you say to them, they always purr. “If they would only purr for ‘yes”, and mew for ‘no’, or any rule of that sort … so that one could keep up a conversation!” (p.195)
• … Ever drifting down the stream – Lingering in the golden gleam – Life, what is it but a dream? (p.199)

Lewis Carroll (1865): Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. (1871): Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice found there. 1941 ed., The Heritage Press, New York

---

* cf. Jefferson Airplane (1967), The White Rabbit (Surrealistic Pillow album):

• When logic and proportion – Have fallen sloppy dead – … – Remember what the dormouse said – Feed your head! – Feed your head!…