Quotes from Eugene Field

But he who truly loves books loves all books alike, and not only this, but it grieves him that all other men do not share with him this noble passion. Verily, this is the most unselfish of loves!

Let my temptation be a book.

No book can be appreciated until it has been slept with and dreamed over.

All good and true book-lovers practice the pleasing and improving avocation of reading in bed ... No book can be appreciated until it has been slept with and dreamed over.

But I, when I undress me Each night, upon my knees Will ask the Lord to bless me With apple-pie and cheese.

Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod, one night sailed off in a wooden shoe; Sailed off on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew. Where are you going and what do you wish? the old moon asked the three. We've come to fish for the herring fish that live in this beautiful sea. Nets of silver and gold have we, said Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod.

And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies Is a wee one's trundle-bed; So shut your eyes while Mother sings Of wonderful sights that be, And you shall see the beautiful things As you rock on the misty sea.

Not so, however, with books, for books cannot change. A thousand years hence they are what you find them to-day, speaking the same words, holding forth the same cheer, the same promise, the same comfort; always constant, laughing with those who laugh and weeping with those who weep.

Let my temptation be a book, which I shall purchase, hold and keep.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes, and Nod is a little head, And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies is a wee one's trundle-bed. So shut your eyes while Mother sings of wonderful sights that be, And you shall see the beautiful things as you rock in the misty sea, Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three: Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.

He played the King as though under momentary apprehension that someone else was about to play the ace.

Ideas came with explosive immediacy, like an instant birth. Human thought is like a monstrous pendulum; it keeps swinging from one extreme to the other.

He is so mean, he won't let his little baby have more than one measle at a time.

The little toy dog is covered with dust,But sturdy and staunch he stands;And the little toy soldier is red with rust,And his musket molds in his hands;Time was when the little toy dog was new,And the soldier was passing fair;And that was the time when our Little Boy BlueKissed them and put them there.

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one nightSailed off in a wooden shoe—Sailed on a river of crystal lightInto a sea of dew.

It always was the biggest fish I caught that got away.

'Most all the time, the whole year round, there ain't no flies on me,But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be!

The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!"And the calico cat replied "Mee-ow!"The air was littered, an hour or so,With bits of gingham and calico.

Here we have baby. It is composed of a bald head and a pair of lungs.

Here we have a baby. It is composed of a bald head and a pair of lungs.

Some statesmen go to Congress and some go to jail. It is the same thing, after all.

When I demanded of my friend what viands he preferred, He quoth: "A large cold bottle, and a small hot bird!"

All human joys are swift of wing, For heaven doth so allot it; That when you get an easy thing, You find you haven't got it.

Father calls me William, sister calls me Will, Mother calls me Willie, but the fellows call me Bill!