Donald McGill

“In the past the mood of the comic postcard could enter into the central stream of literature, and jokes barely different from McGill's could casually be uttered between the murders in Shakespeare's tragedies. That is no longer possible, and a whole category of humour, integral to our literature till 1800 or thereabouts, has dwindled down to these ill-drawn postcards, leading a barely legal existence in cheap stationers' windows. The corner of the human heart that they speak for might easily manifest itself in worse forms, and I for one should be sorry to see them vanish.”

“She didn't ask me to the christening, so I'm not going to the wedding.”

“Judge: "You are prevaricating, sir. Did you or did you not sleep with this woman?"Co-respondent: "Not a wink, my lord!"”

“"I've been struggling for years to get a fur coat. How did you get yours?""I left off struggling."”

“"I like seeing experienced girls home.""But I'm not experienced!""You're not home yet!"”

“Could you exchange this lucky charm for a baby's feeding-bottle?”

“"'Isaiah' – what a funny name for a teddy bear!""Well, you see one eye's 'igher than the other."”

“I want to back the favourite, please. My sweetheart gave me a pound to do it both ways!”

“For Heaven's sake, send help! There's a man trying to get into my room and the door's locked!”

“"Do you like Kipling?""I don't know, you naughty boy, I've never kippled."”

“Can't see my little Willy.”