Obscure and vague question about a phrase I think I read once

Cafe Society
1

This’ll never fly, but I thought I’d give it a try.

I have no idea where I might have read the phrase I’m talking about, though one voice in my head says it was in Alice in Wonderland. But I don’t think that’s true. And anyway, I don’t remember the phrase in any detail. It consisted of four clauses:

Well ______
well ______
well ______
well ______

where each blank is filled by a past participle (I think that’s what you call it? Like as in “well met,” “well done,” etc.)

I think, but am not sure, that two of the lines were “Well asked, well answered.”

Any freakin’ clue?

2

It isn’t Alice in Wonderland, I can tell you that much.

3

I found a single page discussing the koans of the Mu-Mon-kan that uses a construction similar to what you describe. On that page, one koan (10. Seizei Alone and Poor) concludes with “Well asked, well answered; well come, well gone.”

I have not found it elsewhere, in relation to a koan or in any other context.

4

I’ve been doing well with the long shots lately, so how about the Monty Python Cricket Sketch? The Pythons are dressed as old men watching cricket:

Michael: Well left.
Graham: Well played.
Eric: Well well.
John: Well bred.
Terry: (keels over dead, presumably from sheer boredom.)

5

This is it!

-KR

6

[quote=“Greg_Charles, post:4, topic:697873”]

I’ve been doing well with the long shots lately, so how about the Monty Python Cricket Sketch? The Pythons are dressed as old men watching cricket:

Michael: Well left.
Graham: Well played.
Eric: Well well.
John: Well bred.
Terry: (keels over dead, presumably from sheer boredom.)

[/QUOTE]

This is not it!

But good find!

7

Oh, well.
Get it? Oh, well? Man, I crack myself up.

8

I am pleased that my Google Fu has been of service. :slight_smile:

Also, the Cheese Shop, which has been looping in the back of my mind for most of the day, has now been replaced with something completely different.