Wilde Australia
Some amusing quotes about Australia from Oscar Wilde's work (one of my favourite playwrights.)
In Lady Windermere's Fan
DUCHESS OF BERWICK: Do you know, Mr. Hopper, dear Agatha and I are so much interested in Australia. It must be so pretty with all the dear little kangaroos flying about. Agatha has found it on the map. What a curious shape it is! Just like a large packing case. However, it is a very young country, isn’t it?
[...]
HOPPER. You don’t mind my taking Agatha off to Australia, then, Duchess?
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Indignantly.] To Australia? Oh, don’t mention that dreadful vulgar place.
HOPPER. But she said she’d like to come with me.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. [Severely.] Did you say that, Agatha?
LADY AGATHA. Yes, mamma.
DUCHESS OF BERWICK. Agatha, you say the most silly things possible. I think on the whole that Grosvenor Square would be a more healthy place to reside in. There are lots of vulgar people live in Grosvenor Square, but at any rate there are no horrid kangaroos crawling about. But we’ll talk about that to-morrow.
In The Importance of Being Earnest:
CECILY: ...Uncle Jack is sending you to Australia.
ALGERNON: Australia! I'd sooner die.
CECILY: Well, he said at dinner on Wednesday night that you would have to choose between this world, the next world, and Australia.
ALGERNON: Oh, well! The accounts I have received of Australia and the next world are not particularly encouraging. This world is good enough for me.
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JAG