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W. S. Gilbert Quotes (1836-1911)
Poet, Composer
About W. S. Gilbert
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist and librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his operatic collaborations with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan.
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Explore our curated collection of the most famous and impactful W. S. Gilbert quotes.
“Man is nature's sole mistake.”
“As innocent as a new-laid egg.”
“Exactly – you said "often" ('frequently') only once.”
“I can tell a woman's age in half a minute — and I do!”
“So I fell in love with a rich attorney's
Elderly, ugly daughter.”
Elderly, ugly daughter.”
“Art stopped short at the cultivated court of the Empress Josephine.”
“Things are seldom what they seem;
Skim milk masquerades as cream.”
Skim milk masquerades as cream.”
“Roll on, thou ball, roll on
Through pathless realms of space,
Roll on!”
Through pathless realms of space,
Roll on!”
“...Darwinian Man, though well-behav’d,
At best is only a monkey shav’d!”
At best is only a monkey shav’d!”
“She may very well pass for forty three
In the dusk with the light behind her.”
In the dusk with the light behind her.”
“I've jibe and joke,
And quip and crank,
For lowly folk
And men of rank.”
And quip and crank,
For lowly folk
And men of rank.”
“Ah, take one consideration with another
A policeman's lot is not a happy one!”
A policeman's lot is not a happy one!”
“But I submit, my lord, with all submission,
To marry two at once is Burglaree!”
To marry two at once is Burglaree!”
“...but it's an unjust world, and virtue is triumphant only in theatrical performances.”
“In spite of all temptations
To belong to other nations,
He remains an Englishman!”
To belong to other nations,
He remains an Englishman!”
“Ah pray, make no mistake,
we are not shy;
We're very wide awake,
The moon and I!”
we are not shy;
We're very wide awake,
The moon and I!”
“The House of Peers, thoughout the war
Did nothing in particular
And did it very well.”
Did nothing in particular
And did it very well.”
“Or you or I must yield up his life to Ahrimanes. I would rather it were you.”
“Is life a boon?
If so it must befall
That death when e're he call
Must call too soon.”
If so it must befall
That death when e're he call
Must call too soon.”
“I know what love is. There was a happy time when I didn't, but bitter experience has taught me.”
“Yes, I am the Apostle of Simplicity. I am called Archibald the All-Right, for I am infallible.”
“The idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone,
All centuries but this and every country but his own.”
All centuries but this and every country but his own.”
W. S. Gilbert Quotes by Topic
Find exactly what you are looking for by browsing this categorized list of W. S. Gilbert quotes by topic.
W. S. Gilbert on Punishment 2 quotes
“Something lingering with boiling oil in it…. something humorous but lingering—with either boiling oil or melted lead.”
W. S. Gilbert on Innocence
“As innocent as a new-laid egg.”
W. S. Gilbert on Deeds
“Did nothing in particular, And did it very well.”
W. S. Gilbert on Appearance
“Things are seldom what they seem, Skim milk masquerades as cream.”
W. S. Gilbert on Government
“When constabulary duty's to be done A policeman's lot is not a happy one.”
W. S. Gilbert on Ageing
W. S. Gilbert on Elections
W. S. Gilbert on Political parties
W. S. Gilbert on Singing
“Then they began to sing That extremely lovely thing, "Scherzando! ma non troppo, ppp."”
W. S. Gilbert on Polygamy
“In the reign of James the Second, It was generally reckoned As a rather serious crime To marry two wives at a time.”
W. S. Gilbert on Truth
“Her terrible tale You can't assail, With truth it quite agrees; Her taste exact For faultless fact Amounts to a disease.”
What W. S. Gilbert Said About Others
Discover personal opinions W. S. Gilbert shared regarding contemporaries.
W. S. Gilbert on William Shakespeare
“Do you know how they are going to decide the Shakespeare-Bacon dispute? They are going to dig up Shakespeare and dig up Bacon; they are going to set their coffins side by side, and they are going to get Tree to recite Hamlet to them. And the one who turns in his coffin will be the author of the play.”
About W. S. Gilbert
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist and librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his operatic collaborations with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan.