Curious quotes from my book

A selection of some of the curious quotations included in my new book, The Art of Connection.

‘After a while, finding that nothing more happened, she decided on going into the garden at once;’ (Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1865)

‘At present, we may truly be thankful that a reform in this matter has commenced.’ (Albert Day, Methomania: A treatise on Alcoholic Poisoning, 1867)

‘Before I dismiss the uses of architecture, and indeed of the Arts generally, I cannot but dwell for a moment on the amazing effects they have had, on the labour and mechanical skill of our country.’ (Henry Dilworth Gilpin, An annual discourse before the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1827)

‘But finally they lost patience, seeing that their reformatory efforts went for nothing, and threw both friends and strangers overboard.’ (Mark Twain, What is Man? and Other Essays, 1906)

‘Forthwith he made the well his objective. In that country wells were not plentiful.’ (Oscar Micheaux, The Homesteader: A Novel, 1917)

‘Then I went on, thinking, thinking, thinking; and the fire went on, burning, burning, burning; and the candles went on flickering and guttering, and there were no snuffers—until the young gentleman by and by brought a very dirty pair—for two hours.’ (Charles Dickens, Bleak House, 1852)

‘To begin with, she had a sneaking fondness for Arthur, begotten of old associations.’ (Macmillan’s Magazine, 1872)

‘Additionally, it may be noted down here, that tickling and itching, form two kinds of sensual feelings, strictly belonging to bodily feeling.’ (Peter Kaufmann, The Temple of Truth: Or the Science of Ever-progressive Knowledge..., 1858)

‘Also it must often happen that various prolixities and redundancies occur in the course of an interchange of letters, which must hang as a dead weight on the progress of the narrative.’ (Walter Scott, Redgauntlet, 1824)

‘As a rule, he is deficient in vitality (The Popular Science Monthly, 1885)

‘By the same token he rode safely—the looseness of his bones accommodating itself with singular facility to the irregularities in the pace of the surprised animal beneath him.’  (The New York Mirror, 1834)

‘Well, to be sure, it is curious; but some such there have been, and always will be, in the gay world ; and indeed they are very amusing; it is beyond belief how they divert one.’ (Charlotte Campbell Bury, Flirtation: a Novel, 1827)

‘As a result 136 rats were killed during the first twenty nights, when the losses practically ceased, and the method has been continued in the store ever since with satisfactory results. Guillotine traps should be baited with small pieces of Vienna sausage (Wienerwurst) or bacon.’ (David Ernest Lantz, Methods of Destroying Rats, 1907).

‘It is due to ourselves; it is due to the President ; it is due to the country, that we should express an opinion.’ (Debates in Congress, 1826)

‘If we may be excused the antithesis, we should say that eloquence is heard, poetry is overheard.’ (John Stuart Mill, Thoughts on Poetry and Its Varieties, 1859)

‘Since the death of her aunt, her mind had acquired new firmness and vigour.’ (Mary Shelley, Frankenstein: or, The modern Prometheus, 1818)