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Feeding the Mind By: Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) |
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UNIFORM WITH THE PRESENT VOLUME. 1s. net each; leather, 2s. net each. PRAYERS WRITTEN AT VAILIMA.
BY R. L. STEVENSON. A CHRISTMAS SERMON.
BY R. L. STEVENSON. LONDON: CHATTO & WINDUS.
FEEDING THE MIND
BY LEWIS CARROLL
WITH A PREFATORY NOTE BY
WILLIAM H. DRAPER
LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS
1907 [ All rights reserved ]
NOTE
The history of this little sparkle from the pen of Lewis Carroll may soon
be told. It was in October of the year 1884 that he came on a visit to a
certain vicarage in Derbyshire, where he had promised, on the score of
friendship, to do what was for him a most unusual favour to give a
lecture before a public audience. The writer well remembers his nervous, highly strung manner as he stood
before the little room full of simple people, few of whom had any idea of
the world wide reputation of that shy, slight figure before them. When the lecture was over, he handed the manuscript to me, saying: 'Do
what you like with it.' The one for whose sake he did this kindness was not long after called 'Into the Silent Land.' So the beautifully written MS., in his customary violet ink, has been
treasured for more than twenty years, only now and then being read over at
Christmastime to a friend or two by the study fire, always to meet with
the same welcome and glad acknowledgment that here was a genuine, though
little flame that could not have belonged to any other source but that
which all the world knew in Alice in Wonderland and Through the
Looking Glass. There may be, perhaps, many others who, gathering round a winter fire,
will be glad to read words, however few, from that bright source, and
whose memories will respond to the fresh touch of that cherished name. It remains to add but one or two more associations that cling to it and
make the remembrance more vivid still. While Lewis Carroll was staying in
the house, there came to call a certain genial and by no means shy Dean,
who, without realizing what he was doing, proceeded, in the presence of
other callers, to make some remark identifying Mr. Dodgson as the author
of his books. There followed an immense explosion immediately on the visitor's
departure, with a pathetic and serious request that, if there were any
risk of a repetition of the call, due warning might be given, and the
retreat secured. Probably not many readers of the immortal Alice have ever seen the
curious little whimsical paper called EIGHT OR NINE WISE WORDS ABOUT LETTER WRITING which their author had printed and used to send to his acquaintance,
accompanied by a small case for postage stamps. It consists of forty pages, and is published by Emberlin and Son, Oxford;
and these are the contents: PAGE
ON STAMP CASES, 5
HOW TO BEGIN A LETTER, 8
HOW TO GO ON WITH A LETTER, 11
HOW TO END A LETTER, 20
ON REGISTERING CORRESPONDENCE, 22 In this little script, also, there are the same sparkles of wit which
betoken that nimble pen, as, for example, under 'How to begin a Letter': '"And never, never, dear madam" (N.B. This remark is addressed to ladies
only . No man would ever do such a thing), "put 'Wednesday' simply as
the date! " That way madness lies! "' From section 3 : 'How to go on with a Letter.' 'A great deal of the bad
writing in the world comes simply from writing too quickly . Of course
you reply, "I do it to save time ." A very good object, no doubt, but
what right have you to do it at your friend's expense? Isn't his time as
valuable as yours? Years ago I used to receive letters from a friend and
very interesting letters too written in one of the most atrocious hands
ever invented. It generally took me about a week to read one of his
letters! I used to carry it about in my pocket and take it out at leisure
times, to puzzle over the riddles which composed it holding it in
different positions and at different distances, till at last the meaning
of some hopeless scrawl would flash upon me, when I at once wrote down the
English under it... Continue reading book >>
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