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W. S. Gilbert Quotes

Dramatist

W. S. Gilbert was an English dramatist, best known for his collaborations with Arthur S. Sullivan on light operas. His works are renowned for their humor and wit, and have had a profound impact on the development of musical theater.

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All Ifs Knows Littles Men Giving I Can May Wells World Crime Flats Kind Long Seems Thinking Animal Born Found Half Life

Famous W. S. Gilbert Quotes

“Who knows but we may count among our intellectual chickens Like them an Earl of Thackeray and p'raps a Duke of Dickens”

Knows May Intellectual Rap Chickens Dukes Dickens

Author:W. S. Gilbert

“I know everybody's income and what everybody earns, And I carefully compare it with the income-tax returns”

Knows Return Taxes Income Manners Compare Income Tax Tax Returns

Book:The Complete Annotated Gilbert and Sullivan

Source: The Complete Annotated Gilbert and Sullivan

“I've an irritating chuckle, I've a celebrated sneer, I've an entertaining snigger, I've a fascinating leer; To everybody's prejudice I know a thing or two; I can tell a woman's age in half a minute--and I do”

Knows I Can Two Age Half Minutes Prejudice Manners Fascinating Entertaining Irritating Sneer Chuckles

Author:W. S. Gilbert

“No good play is a success; fine writing and high morals are useless on the stage. I have been scribbling twaddle for thirty-five years to suit the public taste, and I should know.”

Knows Should Writing Years Has Beens Play Moral Five Stage Fine Taste Suits Useless Thirty Five Years

Author:W. S. Gilbert

“Posterity shall know of me even less than I shall know of posterity.”

Knows Posterity

Author:W. S. Gilbert

“Posterity will know as little of me as I know of posterity.”

Knows Littles Posterity

Author:W. S. Gilbert

“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.”

Knows Matter Names Animal Modern Majors Models Very Good Math Mathematical Vegetables Minerals Calculus Good Math Integral Calculus Differential Calculus

Author:W. S. Gilbert

“I am the very model of a modern Major-General, I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral, I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical, From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical.”

Knows Order Fighting Animal Modern Military Information Kings Majors Models England Majority Historical Vegetables Marathon Minerals Waterloo

Author:W. S. Gilbert

About the Author

Born: November 18, 1836
Died: May 29, 1911
Known for: Dramatist
Quotes: 96

Books & Sources

The Complete Annotated Gilbert and SullivanRelated source material

The Savoy Operas: The Complete Gilbert and Sullivan: The Complete Gilbert and SullivanRelated source material

The Mikado and other OperasRelated source material

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