The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-02

Character Of the Author Of Alice 4
Wonderland"

The literary journals OF England IN
many kind things TO say OF the late LED
Carroll. the author OF Alice in WoAaS
land" and other books OF exquisite ID
sense. who in private life was known
Rev. 4. l.. Dodgscn, and who cared "a
known in the world OF letters Only as Il
author OF several erudite nlathe:nal&
works. Born in 1861 the son OF a n
known churchmau, Archdeaeen DodA~.
he was educated at Christ church. d
ford. where in 1854 he was graduated N
a rirst-eiass in mathematics. Seven E}
later he was elected senior student o, II
college. and became mathematical lectI3
a post which he held for twenty sd
during which TIME hestook orders, and =
active in his holy Office. His first VENT
il literature. Alice In Wonderland"
published in 1865: his second. "Phas:{
snagoria.' In 1853. bis third. Through &
Looking Glass in issi, and his foat
The Hunting OF the Shark tn is7e. III
subsequent publications were Rhyme ii
Reason" GSsl; "A Tangled Tale gw
and sylvia and Bruna' dssD, vAr
need not detain Us here. for whatever ~
have been their merits. they attracted II
little attention. the popularity OF Isw
Carroll resting on Alice In Wonderlsn1
which was read and reread by thousand
tens OF thousands-~iu England and
America. children of all ages being IN
entertained by II. That new creatorE
new kind Of books hai appeared, 4
was not perceived. is one OF those sind
lsrities OF literature which nobody \
ever been able 10 explain. though III
are constantly occurring. That Alice
Wonderland" was not At first a sucee.
or not with the critical gentlemen Of Il
English press. is certain. the Times. iuna
ing II with lot Of Christmas bsox
merely said that Ii was IAN excsliA
piece OF nonsense. hestowine, its mof
cum OF praise on Tenniei's illustrated
The Spectator did not mention IL, and 4
AthenaeuIn. in its lordly way. patroaln
IL In this fashion: This is a dream stos
but who can. In cold blood. manufacty
a dream, with all its loops and ties, al
loose threads and cniangiemeuts, and n
consistencies. and passages which lear,
nothing, AT the end of which sleeps ma
dilgent pilgrim n.ver arrives. Mr.. q
roll has laoored hard TO heap toge,M
strange adventures and heterogeneol
combinations. and we acknowledge Il
hard labor. Mr.. Tenniei, again. IL sauas
and grim and uncouth in his ILLUSTRATES,
hoWoeit clever. even sometimes 10 Il
verge OF grandeur, as Is the artists ran
We fahcy that any real child Nigh, /
more puzzled than enchanted by this s,s
overweight story"
IL Lewis Carroll had had the crItirx
mind he might not have written "aI,css
Wonderland" but fortunately for h.,nsf
ana Tor US. he never thought OF them,
only Tor the children for whom II was ~
ten-the two little daughters OF Dean lii
ueii. one OF whom, the original Alice. Is IL
hsins. ne was a hearty. n profound iri
fhnSa ph a
little people OF Cod who. ALWAYS In
mind. he remembered particularly In n
IN An Easter Greeting 20 Every Child n
Loves Alice. in the following words: 4
nave written anything 10 add to Ind
stories or innocent aud healthy am,Isesna
that are laid up in books for the ch.lares
love so Well. II Is surely something ma
hcpe 10 icok back upon without shame i
sorrow cas- how much of life must then
rtcaiiedo when my turn comes TO va
through the valley of shadows
Mr f.odgSon was averse TO VIA
letters. but when he did write them anal
child. or children. they were charrn1
as may he seen from this one. which 4
written in 1876:
My Dear Magdalen~-f want to exTx.
10 YOU why did not cali yesterday. ~
sorry 10 miss You, but you see I haat
many conversations on the way. I III
10 explain 10 the people in the stree, IA
was going to see YOU but they VIOLIN
listen; they said they were I'm a hur}
which was very rude. At last mt
wEe"ibarrow that thought would a,s,s
TO me. but i couldn't make out what y,
In IT. ! saw some features at first. nj
i looked through a telescope and kouaAl
was a countanance; then | looked ihroa
a microscope and found IL was a sacs1
thought IL was rather Ike me. ssn
fetched a large looking glass TO make n
ana then. 10 my great JOY. found II u
Me We shook hands. and were jus:H
ginning TO talk when Myself came ur
Joined us, and we had quite plea sanfG
Versation. / said, DO you remember ~
We all met al Sandown?' And NyseifS
II was very Jolly there; there was III
called Magdalen. and Ne said, I usssE
Ike her little Then IL was timsE
us 10 go TO the traln-and wha. de- II
think came e the station 10 sec us
You would never guess SO must sellH
They We're taFo very dear friends OF = h
who happened In he here jug. n0w, .
beg TO be allowed 10 sign this letter asF4
arec'ionate friends. Lewis Carroll AID
IL. Dodgson.''