Cryptic quiz

[cheerybob]

Last few driving me crazy:
Bothered by sesquipedalianism (6,3,4 - pot luck)
If you ignore this book wild animals may eat your children (9 - pot luck)
Carpenter and director of 'mechanical' performance (6 - tree connection)
What 'three legged stool' was a real swinger (6,4 - tree connection)
Best use for last year's gooseberries (6,2,4,4,2,3,4 - phrase)
William's precept (7,6,3 - phrase)
Surprise in Mojave desert (6,6 - monument)
Many thanks

[Calibax]

3 Quince (Peter Quince - carpenter and head of Rude Mecahanicals in A Midsummer Night's Dream)

[Calibax]

5 There's no fool like an old fool

[cheerybob]

Thank you. I am glad you explained quince - brilliant, and perhaps 5 refers to me, shoulda had that.