THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 44, 22 February 1936, Page 16

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

GLIMPSES OF LEWIS CARROLL AND HIS LITTLE FRIEND ALICE I noticed this in an exchange and ■was so delighted with it that I decided to pass it on to you, Cogs. I hope you all have read and enjoyed these books as I have. “Will you walk a little faster?" Said a whiting to a snail, “There’s a porpoise close behind us, and he’s treading on my tail, See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance, „ They are waiting on the shingle— Will you cOme and join the dance?" The whole world danced to the tune of Lewis Carroll’s, ..pipes; men and women and flocks of little children heard music of tales and followed Alice in her Wonderland adventures when she met the White Rabbit and the Mouse With the long and sad tale; the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, and the absurd Walrus who sang: “The time has come," the Walrus said, “To talk of many things; Of shoes, of ships and sealing wax, Of cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot, And whether pigs have wings." To-day Lewis Carroll is dead and his gay little tAlice with her long golder. hair, her ribbon, and her smiling eyes has gone to join her childhood playmate in a land where stammering and shyness and a great dread of derision count for naught. Lewis Carroll, or Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, as his real name, was, was born at Daresbury, near Warrington, where his father was rector. Charles was a quaint, precocious child. His first book, “The Rectory Umbrella,” written while still a boy for the amusement of his brothers and sisters, contains the well-known nonsense verse: If all the world were apple pie, And all the sea were ink, 'And all the trees were bread and cheese, j« What should we have to drink? .That he had a wonderfully likeable personality and a great love of children is a well-known fact. Indeed, it was this love of little people which first' sowed in Ids "mind the seeds which were to blossom, into “Alice in Wonderland." Dodgson was an Oxford graduate and was ordained in 1861, but partly on account of his incurablo shyness and partly owing to a nervous stammer, ho never took up the duties of a clergyman. Hut, although he dreaded meeting people, with children he was at his ease, and little girls especially he seemed to love and understand. In particular was he fond of one wee girl whose life, like his, was.pass.ed in the shadow of Oxford’s halls of learning. Little Alice, .the daughter of Dean Liddell, was Lewis Carroll’s constant companion, and her innocent chatter was one of his greatest pleasures. Sometimes, when lessons for the day were over, tho two would be seen, the silent young tutor and his prattling small friend, roaming in the deserted quadrangles, or along the banks of the river. In 1864 we find him writing in his diary:—" July 4: I made an expedition up the river to Godstow with the three Liddells; wo had tea on the bank there .... on which occasion I told them the fairy tale of Alice’s adventures underground, which I undertook to write out for Alice." - So-in this summer of 1862 commenced the Wonderful adventures which, in years to come, were to charm littio children in every corner of the globe. Alice Liddell never tired of hearing of the doings of her little namesake. At each meeting with her tutor friend she would clamour for more, and it was in response to her entreaties that he finally consented to write them out for her. Three years later no happier child existed in England than Alice Liddell when she received the first presentation copy of Alice’s adventures under-

ground. Dodgson had no ideas of publication, but, after he had written out the story, he showed it to his friend George Macdonald, the well-known, author, who persuaded him to send it to a publisher, The book was an instant success; it was translated into French, German,

SUNFLOWER PEEPS THROUGH FOR 1936 Apiti. Dear Hub,—Here I am peeping into your 1936 Wheel of Gratitude. I am listening to the wireless. I went to Pahiatua to my Auntie’s. I went by train front Palmerston and I. went through five tunnels, tho first time I had ever been through a tunnel. You can imagine what I thought. I met a family of Cogs but I forget their names now. I had a enjoyable time although it was quiet. We went for swims practically every day, and now I can swim. My little cousins were highly amused when, one morning they awoke and found what Santa Claus had kindly left for them. Murray is a big boy now. His birthday is on March 19th. Ho will be two. He has long fair curls. Tho hurricane was terrible wasn’t it,-Hub? We saw Shirley Temple in “Little Miss Marker" and she, was wonderful, with her long shoulder-length curls. Well, Hub, the lire is very enjoyable these days, isn’t it? I am nearly asleep by it. Powder anf Patches writes lovely letters, doesn't she? lam in Std 7 this year. Snowflower. The tunnels are very dark and dirty, aren’t they, Snowflower. Swimming is a great sport, and a very healthy one, too. A HOLIDAY AT THE BEACH Makomako. Dear Hub, —I suppose you have forgotten me by now. I had a good time in tho holidays. I had my birthday on December 26 and I am ten years old now. When I went back to school I passed into Std. 5. For Christmas I got a purse and a lovely book, a scent bottle, a shilling piece, and a handkerchief. During the holidays we went down to the beach for a week. Monty Mouso. What a lovely lot of Christmas presents you received, Monty Mouse, and a holiday at the beach. You were lucky. TUI HAD THIRTEEN TREES UPROOTED Rangiwahia. Dear Hub, —I thought I would write Hub, I did not go away for the holidays. Dad is down the road taking calves and will not be home till nine o’clock (at night). I think I am going to put a purse, drawing and writing in the show. I am also going to put Nigger in too. I like your Page. Thirteen of our precious trees were uprooted. I had excellent for English to-day. We have a wireless which is going. Tui. I am glad you like the Page, Tui. 1 received your other letter and I am so sorry. Really, I must be getting absent minded. I will sent your badge, immediately. A WELCOME TO DERRY Palmerston North. Dear Hub, —Please may I be a Cog. 1 am five years old. Can I have Derry for my pen-name. Your loving Cog, Stanley Collins. Certainly you may have Derry, Stanley and a big welcome to our happy family. Write again soon. Italian and Dutch, and, to his intenso astonishment, brought both fame add fortune to Lewis Carroll. In time, as was only to be expected, the two Alice books were dramatised, and crowds of little children saw a live Alice and a live rabbit going adventuring on a theatre stage. All his life Lewis Carroll cherished feelings of friendship and love for his little playmate of Oxford days. Other child friends he had a-plenty, but these usually outgrew his fairy tales, and once they were on the way to growing up Carroll’s interest in them ceased. Of Alice, however, Carroll wrote: "She was courteous, trustful, wildly curious, loving as a dog, gentle as a fawn.” And with these words he leaves us a picture of the original Alice—a character beloved by little children the world over, and inspired by tho friendship of a smiling eyed small girl.