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Few things are impracticable in themselves; and it is for want of application, rather than of means, that men fail to succeed. François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld		Monday Jun 22, 2026
		Quotes: 53419 Authors: 9969

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As is gloriously sung in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta 'H.M.S. Pinafore,' in the words of W. S. Gilbert: 'Things are seldom as they seem, Skim milk masquerades as cream.' Sir William Schwenck Gilbert

Quote Author: Sir William Schwenck Gilbert

	Sir William Schwenck Gilbert
	(1836-1911) The Mikado - English playwright, librettist collaborated with Sullivan.

Other Sir William Schwenck Gilbert Quotes

I can trace my ancestry back to a protoplasmal primordial atomic globule. Consequently, my family pride is something inconceivable. I cant help it. I was born sneering.

I am the Captain of the Pinafore ; And a right good captain too! .... And Im never, never sick at sea! What, never? No, never! What never? Hardly ever! Hes hardly ever sick at sea! Then give three cheers, and one cheer more, For the hardy Captain of the Pinafore!

Oh, dont the days seem lank and long When all goes right and nothing goes wrong, And isnt your life extremely flat With nothing whatever to grumble at!

It is my duty, and I will It was their duty, and they did.

I'm very good at integral and differential calculus, I know the scientific names of beings animalculous; In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

When I was a lad I served a term As office boy to an Attorneys firm. I cleaned the windows and I swept the floor, And I polished up the handle of the big front door. I polished up that handle so carefullee That now I am the Ruler of the Queens Navee! .... Stick close to your desks and never go to sea, And you all may be Rulers of the Queens Navee!

My object all sublime I shall achieve in time To let the punishment fit the crime The punishment fit the crime.

As is gloriously sung in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta 'H.M.S. Pinafore,' in the words of W. S. Gilbert: 'Things are seldom as they seem, Skim milk masquerades as cream.'

On a tree by a river a little tom-tit Sang Willow, titwillow, titwillow! And I said to him, Dicky-bird, why do you sit Singing Willow, titwillow, titwillow? Is it a weakness of intellect, birdie? I cried, Or a rather tough worm in your little inside? With a shake of his poor little head he replied, Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!

He did nothing in particular, and did it very well.

If you're anxious for to shine in the high aesthetic line As a man of culture rare, You must get up all the germs of the transcendental terms And plant them everywhere. You must lie upon the daisies and discourse in novel phrases Of your complicated state of mind, The meaning doesn't matter if it's only idle chatter Of a transendental kind.

When everyone is somebody, then no one's anybody.

When you're lying awake with a dismal headache, and repose is taboo'd by anxiety, I conceive you may use any language you choose to indulge in, without impropriety.

Ah, pray no mistake, We are not shy; We're very wide awake The Moon and I.

You've no idea of what a poor opinion I have of myself, and how little I deserve it.