The Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll by Stuart Dodgson Collingwood

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_Nov. 16th_.--Thought of a plan for simplifying
money-orders, by making the sender fill up two duplicate
papers, one of which he hands in to be transmitted by the
postmaster--it containing a key-number which the receiver
has to supply in _his_ copy to get the money. I think
of suggesting this, and my plan for double postage on
Sunday, to the Government.

_Dec. 19th_.--The idea occurred to me that a game might
be made of letters, to be moved about on a chess-board till
they form words.

A little book, published during this year, "Alice (a dramatic version
of Lewis Carroll's 'Alice'), and other Fairy Tales for Children," by
Mrs. Freiligrath-Kroeker, was very successful, and, I understand,
still has a regular sale. Mr. Dodgson most gladly gave his consent to
the dramatisation of his story by so talented an authoress, and
shortly afterwards Mrs. Kroeker brought out "Through the
Looking-Glass" in a similar form.

_Jan._ 17, 1881.--To the Lyceum to see "The Cup" and
"The Corsican Brothers." The first is exquisitely put on,
and Ellen Terry as Camma is the perfection of grace, and
Irving as the villain, and Mr. Terriss as the husband, were
very good. But the piece wants substance.

_Jan._ 19_th_.--Tried to go to Oxford, but the
line is blocked near Didcot, so stayed another night in
town. The next afternoon the line was reported clear, but
the journey took 5 hours! On the day before the Dean of Ch.
Ch. and his family were snowed up for 21 hours near Radley.

_March_ 27_th_.--Went to S. Mary's and stayed for
Holy Communion, and, as Ffoulkes was alone, I mustered up
courage to help him. I read the exhortation, and was pleased
to find I did not once hesitate. I think I must try
preaching again soon, as he has often begged me to do.

_April_ 16_th_.--Mr. Greenwood approves my theory
about general elections, and wants me to write on it in the
_St. James's Gazette_. (The letter appeared on May 5,
1881.)

_May_ 14_th_.--Took the longest walk (I believe) I
have ever done--round by Dorchester, Didcot and Abingdon--27
miles--took 8 hours--no blisters, I rejoice to find, and I
feel very little tired.

_May_ 26_th_.--The row-loving men in College are
beginning to be troublesome again, and last night some 30 or
40 of them, aided by out-College men, made a great
disturbance, and regularly defied the Censors. I have just
been with the other Tutors into Hall, and heard the Dean
make an excellent speech to the House. Some two or three
will have to go down, and twelve or fifteen others will be
punished in various ways. (A later note says): The
punishments had to be modified--it turned out that the
disturbers were nearly all out-College men.

[Illustration 229: DR. Liddell. _From a photograph by Hill &
Saunders._]

Mr. Dodgson sent a letter to _The Observer_ on this subject:--

Sir,--Your paper of May 29th contains a leading article on
Christ Church, resting on so many mis-statements of fact
that I venture to appeal to your sense of justice to allow
me, if no abler writer has addressed you on the subject, an
opportunity of correcting them. It will, I think, be found
that in so doing I shall have removed the whole foundation
on which the writer has based his attack on the House, after
which I may contentedly leave the superstructure to take
care of itself. "Christ Church is always provoking the
adverse criticism of the outer world." The writer justifies
this rather broad generalisation by quoting three instances
of such provocation, which I will take one by one.

At one time we are told that "The Dean ... neglects his
functions, and spends the bulk of his time in Madeira." The
fact is that the Dean's absence from England more than
twenty years ago during two successive winters was a sad
necessity, caused by the appearance of symptoms of grave
disease, from which he has now, under God's blessing,
perfectly recovered.

The second instance occurred eleven years ago, when some of
the undergraduates destroyed some valuable statuary in the
Library. Here the writer states that the Dean first
announced that criminal proceedings would be taken, and
then, on discovering that the offenders were "highly
connected," found himself "converted to the opinion that
mercy is preferable to stern justice, and charity to the
strict letter of the law." The facts are that the punishment
awarded to the offenders was deliberated on and determined
on by the Governing Body, consisting of the Dean, the
Canons, and some twenty Senior Students; that their
deliberations were most assuredly in no way affected by any
thoughts of the offenders being "highly connected"; and
that, when all was over, we had the satisfaction of seeing
ourselves roundly abused in the papers on both sides, and
charged with having been too lenient, and also with having
been too severe.

The third instance occurred the other night. Some
undergraduates were making a disturbance, and the Junior
Censor "made his appearance in person upon the scene of
riot," and "was contumeliously handled." Here the only
statement of any real importance, the alleged assault by
Christ Church men on the Junior Censor, is untrue. The fact
is that nearly all the disturbers were out-College men, and,
though it is true that the Censor was struck by a stone
thrown from a window, the unenviable distinction of having
thrown it belongs to no member of the House. I doubt if we
have one single man here who would be capable of so base and
cowardly an act.

The writer then gives us a curious account of the present
constitution of the House. The Dean, whom he calls "the
right reverend gentleman," is, "in a kind of way, master of
the College. The Canons, in a vague kind of way, are
supposed to control the College." The Senior Students "dare
not call their souls their own," and yet somehow dare "to
vent their wrath" on the Junior Students. His hazy, mental
picture of the position of the Canons may be cleared up by
explaining to him that the "control" they exercise is
neither more nor less than that of any other six members of
the Governing Body. The description of the Students I pass
over as not admitting any appeal to actual facts.

The truth is that Christ Church stands convicted of two
unpardonable crimes--being great, and having a name. Such a
place must always expect to find itself "a wide mark for
scorn and jeers"--a target where the little and the nameless
may display their skill. Only the other day an M.P., rising
to ask a question about Westminster School, went on to speak
of Christ Church, and wound up with a fierce attack on the
ancient House. Shall we blame him? Do we blame the wanton
schoolboy, with a pebble in his hand, all powerless to
resist the alluring vastness of a barndoor?

The essence of the article seems to be summed up in the
following sentence: "At Christ Church all attempts to
preserve order by the usual means have hitherto proved
uniformly unsuccessful, and apparently remain equally
fruitless." It is hard for one who, like myself, has lived
here most of his life, to believe that this is seriously
intended as a description of the place. However, as general
statements can only be met by general statements, permit me,
as one who has lived here for thirty years and has taught
for five-and-twenty, to say that in my experience order has
been the rule, disorder the rare exception, and that, if the
writer of your leading article has had an equal amount of
experience in any similar place of education, and has found
a set of young men more gentlemanly, more orderly, and more
pleasant in every way to deal with, than I have found here,
I cannot but think him an exceptionally favoured
mortal.--Yours, &c.

Charles L. Dodgson,

_Student and Mathematical Lecturer of Christ Church_.

In July began an amusing correspondence between Mr. Dodgson and a
"circle-squarer," which lasted several months. Mr. Dodgson sent the
infatuated person, whom we will call Mr. B--, a proof that the area of
a circle is less than 3.15 the square of the radius. Mr. B--replied,
"Your proof is not in accordance with Euclid, it assumes that a circle
may be considered as a rectangle, and that two right lines can enclose
a space." He returned the proof, saying that he could not accept any
of it as elucidating the exact area of a circle, or as Euclidean. As
Mr. Dodgson's method involved a slight knowledge of trigonometry, and
he had reason to suspect that Mr. B--was entirely ignorant of that
subject, he thought it worth while to put him to the test by asking
him a few questions upon it, but the circle-squarer, with commendable
prudence, declined to discuss anything not Euclidean. Mr. Dodgson then
wrote to him, "taking leave of the subject, until he should be willing
to enlarge his field of knowledge to the elements of Algebraical
Geometry." Mr. B--replied, with unmixed contempt, "Algebraical
Geometry is all moon-shine." _He_ preferred "weighing cardboard"
as a means of ascertaining exact truth in mathematical research.
Finally he suggested that Mr. Dodgson might care to join in a
prize-competition to be got up among the followers of Euclid, and as
he apparently wished him to understand that he (Mr. B--) did not think
much of his chances of getting a prize, Mr. Dodgson considered that
the psychological moment for putting an end to the correspondence had
arrived.

Meanwhile he was beginning to feel his regular College duties a
terrible clog upon his literary work. The Studentship which he held
was not meant to tie him down to lectures and examinations. Such work
was very well for a younger man; he could best serve "the House" by
his literary fame.

_July_ 14_th._--Came to a more definite decision
than I have ever yet done--that it is about time to resign
the Mathematical Lectureship. My chief motive for holding on
has been to provide money for others (for myself, I have
been many years able to retire), but even the L300 a year I
shall thus lose I may fairly hope to make by the additional
time I shall have for book-writing. I think of asking the
G.B. (Governing Body) next term to appoint my successor, so
that I may retire at the end of the year, when I shall be
close on fifty years old, and shall have held the
Lectureship for exactly 26 years. (I had the Honourmen for
the last two terms of 1855, but was not full Lecturer till
Hilary, 1856.)

_Oct_. 18_th_.--I have just taken an important
step in life, by sending to the Dean a proposal to resign
the Mathematical Lectureship at the end of this year. I
shall now have my whole time at my own disposal, and, if God
gives me life and continued health and strength, may hope,
before my powers fail, to do some worthy work in
writing--partly in the cause of mathematical education,
partly in the cause of innocent recreation for children, and
partly, I hope (though so utterly unworthy of being allowed
to take up such work) in the cause of religious thought. May
God bless the new form of life that lies before me, that I
may use it according to His holy will!

_Oct. 21st_.--I had a note in the evening from the
Dean, to say that he had seen the Censors on the subject of
my proposed resignation at the end of the year, and that
arrangements should be made, as far as could be done, to
carry out my wishes; and kindly adding an expression of
regret at losing my services, but allowing that I had
"earned a right to retirement." So my Lectureship seems to
be near its end.

_Nov. 30th_.--I find by my Journal that I gave my
_first_ Euclid Lecture in the Lecture-room on Monday,
January 28, 1856. It consisted of twelve men, of whom nine
attended. This morning, I have given what is most probably
my _last_: the lecture is now reduced to nine, of whom
all attended on Monday: this morning being a Saint's Day,
the attendance was voluntary, and only two appeared--E.H.
Morris, and G. Lavie. I was Lecturer when the _father_
of the latter took his degree, viz., in 1858.

There is a sadness in coming to the end of anything in life.
Man's instincts cling to the Life that will never end.

_May 30, 1882._--Called on Mrs. R--. During a good part
of the evening I read _The Times_, while the party
played a round game of spelling words--a thing I will never
join in. Rational conversation and _good_ music are the
only things which, to me, seem worth the meeting for, for
grown-up people.

_June 1st._--Went out with Charsley, and did four miles
on one of his velocimans, very pleasantly.

The velociman was an early and somewhat cumbrous form of tricycle; Mr.
Dodgson made many suggestions for its improvement. He never attempted
to ride a bicycle, however, but, in accordance with his own dictum,
"In youth, try a bicycle, in age, buy a tricycle," confined himself to
the three-wheeled variety.

[Illustration: XI Oxford types From a photograph by A.T.
Shrimpton]

_Nov. 8th_.--Whitehead, of Trinity, told us a charming
story in Common Room of a father and son. They came up
together: the son got into a College--the father had to go
to New Inn Hall: the son passed Responsions, while his
father had to put off: finally, the father failed in Mods
and has gone down: the son will probably take his degree,
and may then be able to prepare his father for another try.

Among the coloured cartoons in Shrimpton's
window at Oxford there used to be, when I was
up, a picture which I think referred to this story.

_Nov. 23rd._--Spent two hours "invigilating" in the
rooms of W.J. Grant (who has broken his collar-bone, and is
allowed to do his Greats papers in this way) while he
dictated his answers to another undergraduate, Pakenham, who
acted as scribe.

_Nov. 24th_.--Dined with Fowler (now President of
C.C.C.) in hall, to meet Ranken. Both men are now mostly
bald, with quite grey hair: yet how short a time it seems
since we were undergraduates together at Whitby! (in 1854).

_Dec 8th._--A Common Room Meeting. Fresh powers were
given to the Wine Committee, and then a new Curator elected.
I was proposed by Holland, and seconded by Harcourt, and
accepted office with no light heart: there will be much
trouble and thought needed to work it satisfactorily, but it
will take me out of myself a little, and so may be a real
good--my life was tending to become too much that of a
selfish recluse.

During this year he composed the words of a song, "Dreamland." The air
was _dreamed_ by his friend, the late Rev. C. E. Hutchinson, of
Chichester. The history of the dream is here given in the words of the
dreamer:--

I found myself seated, with many others, in darkness, in a
large amphitheatre. Deep stillness prevailed. A kind of
hushed expectancy was upon us. We sat awaiting I know not
what. Before us hung a vast and dark curtain, and between it
and us was a kind of stage. Suddenly an intense wish seized
me to look upon the forms of some of the heroes of past
days. I cannot say whom in particular I longed to behold,
but, even as I wished, a faint light flickered over the
stage, and I was aware of a silent procession of figures
moving from right to left across the platform in front of
me. As each figure approached the left-hand corner it turned
and gazed at me, and I knew (by what means I cannot say) its
name. One only I recall--Saint George; the light shone with
a peculiar blueish lustre on his shield and helmet as he
turned and slowly faced me. The figures were shadowy, and
floated like mist before me; as each one disappeared an
invisible choir behind the curtain sang the "Dream music." I
awoke with the melody ringing in my ears, and the words of
the last line complete--"I see the shadows falling, and
slowly pass away." The rest I could not recall.

[Illustration: Dreamland--Facsimile of Words and Music.]

DREAMLAND.

Words by LEWIS CARROLL.

Music by C.E. HUTCHINSON.

When midnight mists are creeping
And all the land is sleeping
Around me tread the mighty dead,
And slowly pass away.

Lo, warriors, saints, and sages,
From out the vanished ages,
With solemn pace and reverend face
Appear and pass away.

The blaze of noonday splendour,
The twilight soft and tender,
May charm the eye: yet they shall die,
Shall die and pass away

But here, in Dreamland's centre,
No spoiler's hand may enter,
These visions fair, this radiance rare,
Shall never pass away

I see the shadows falling,
The forms of eld recalling;
Around me tread the mighty dead,
And slowly pass away

One of the best services to education which Mr. Dodgson performed was
his edition of "Euclid I. and II.," which was published in 1882. In
writing "Euclid and His Modern Rivals," he had criticised somewhat
severely the various substitutes proposed for Euclid, so far as they
concerned beginners; but at the same time he had admitted that within
prescribed limits Euclid's text is capable of amendment and
improvement, and this is what he attempted to do in this book. That he
was fully justified is shown by the fact that during the years
1882-1889 the book ran through eight editions. In the Introduction he
enumerates, under the three headings of "Additions," "Omissions," and
"Alterations," the chief points of difference between his own and the
ordinary editions of Euclid, with his reasons for adopting them. They
are the outcome of long experience, and the most conservative of
teachers would readily accept them.

The proof of I. 24, for example, is decidedly better and more
satisfactory than the ordinary proof, and the introduction of the
definition of "projection" certainly simplifies the cumbrous
enunciations of II. 12 and 13. Again, the alternative proof of II. 8,
suggested in the Introduction, is valuable, and removes all excuse for
omitting this proposition, as is commonly clone.

The figures used are from the blocks prepared for the late Mr.
Todhunter's well-known edition of Euclid, to which Mr. Dodgson's
manual forms an excellent stepping-stone.

At the beginning of 1883 he went up to town to see the collection of
D. G. Rossetti's pictures in the Burlington Gallery. He was especially
struck with "Found," which he thus describes--

A picture of a man finding, in the streets of London, a girl
he had loved years before in the days of her innocence. She
is huddled up against the wall, dressed in gaudy colours,
and trying to turn away her agonised face, while he, holding
her wrists, is looking down with an expression of pain and
pity, condemnation and love, which is one of the most
marvellous things I have ever seen done in painting.

_Jan_. 27, 1883 [His birthday].--I cannot say I feel
much older at 51 than at 21! Had my first
"tasting-luncheon"; it seemed to give great satisfaction.
[The object of the Curator's "tasting-luncheon" was, of
course, to give members of Common Room an opportunity of
deciding what wines should be bought.]

_March_ 15_th._--Went up to town to fulfil my
promise to Lucy A.--: to take her for her _first_ visit
to the theatre. We got to the Lyceum in good time, and the
play was capitally acted. I had hinted to Beatrice (Miss
Ellen Terry) how much she could add to Lucy's pleasure by
sending round a "carte" of herself; she sent a cabinet. She
is certainly an adept in giving gifts that gratify.

_April_ 23_d_.--Tried another long walk--22 miles,
to Besilsleigh, Fyfield, Kingston, Bagpuize, Frilford,
Marcham, and Abingdon. The last half of the way was in the
face of wind, rain, snow, and hail. Was too lame to go into
Hall.

* * * * *

CHAPTER VI

(1883-1887)

"The Profits of Authorship"--"Rhyme? and Reason?"--The
Common Room Cat--Visit to Jersey--Purity of
elections--Parliamentary Representation--Various literary
projects--Letters to Miss E. Rix--Being happy--"A Tangled
Tale"--Religious arguments--The "Alice" Operetta--"Alice's
Adventures Underground"--"The Game of Logic"--Mr. Harry
Furniss.

In 1883 Lewis Carroll was advised to make a stand against the heavy
discount allowed by publishers to booksellers, and by booksellers to
the public. Accordingly the following notice began to appear in all
his books: "In selling Mr. Lewis Carroll's books to the Trade, Messrs.
Macmillan and Co. will abate 2d. in the shilling (no odd copies), and
allow 5 per cent, discount within six months, and 10 per cent, for
cash. In selling them to the Public (for cash only) they will allow 10
per cent, discount."

It was a bold step to take, and elicited some loud expressions of
disapproval. "Rather than buy on the terms Mr. Lewis Carroll offers,"
"A Firm of London Booksellers" wrote in _The Bookseller_ of August
4th, "the trade will do well to refuse to take copies of his books,
new or old, so long as he adheres to the terms he has just announced
to the trade for their delectation and delight." On the other hand, an
editorial, which appeared in the same number of _The Bookseller,_
expressed warm approval of the innovation.

To avoid all possible misconceptions, the author fully explained his
views in a little pamphlet on "The Profits of Authorship." He showed
that the bookseller makes as much profit out of every volume he sells
(assuming the buyer to pay the full published price, which he did in
those days more readily than he does to-day) as author and publisher
together, whereas his share in the work is very small. He does not say
much about the author's part in the work--that it is a very heavy one
goes without saying--but in considering the publisher's share he
says:--

The publisher contributes about as much as the bookseller in
time and bodily labour, but in mental toil and trouble a
great deal more. I speak with some personal knowledge of the
matter, having myself, for some twenty years, inflicted on
that most patient and painstaking firm, Messrs. Macmillan
and Co., about as much wear and worry as ever publishers
have lived through. The day when they undertake a book for
me is a _dies nefastus_ for them. From that day till
the book is out--an interval of some two or three years on
an average--there is no pause in "the pelting of the
pitiless storm" of directions and questions on every
conceivable detail. To say that every question gets a
courteous and thoughtful reply--that they are still outside
a lunatic asylum--and that they still regard me with some
degree of charity--is to speak volumes in praise of their
good temper and of their health, bodily and mental. I think
the publisher's claim on the profits is on the whole
stronger than the booksellers.

"Rhyme? and Reason?" appeared at Christmas; the dedicatory verses,
inscribed "To a dear child: in memory of golden summer hours and
whispers of a summer sea," were addressed to a little friend of the
author's, Miss Gertrude Chataway. One of the most popular poems in the
book is "Hiawatha's Photographing," a delicious parody of Longfellow's
"Hiawatha." "In an age of imitation," says Lewis Carroll, in a note at
the head, "I can claim no special merit for this slight attempt at
doing what is known to be so easy." It is not every one who has read
this note who has observed that it is really in the same metre as the
poem below it.

Another excellent parody, "Atalanta in Camden-Town," exactly hit off
the style of that poet who stands alone and unapproached among the
poets of the day, and whom Mr. Dodgson used to call "the greatest
living master of language."

"Fame's Penny Trumpet," affectionately dedicated to all "original
researchers" who pant for "endowment," was an attack upon the
Vivisectionists,

Who preach of Justice--plead with tears
That Love and Mercy should abound--
While marking with complacent ears
The moaning of some tortured hound.

Lewis Carroll thus addresses them:--

Fill all the air with hungry wails--
"Reward us, ere we think or write!
Without your gold mere knowledge fails
To sate the swinish appetite!"

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