The record-union., 1898-02-20
LEAST EFFORT AND GREATEST
SUCCESS.

Strange indeed are the vagaries Of
authorship, strange the fact that great
effort aimed in one direction. is often
completely eelipsed by work not in
tended TO be more than passing thing,
. mere avocatIon, and brief at that. But
such is the fate Of life that we oft ac-
eomplish most when we aim least TO do
something notable.
There died the other day a certain
Eneltsh clergyman. Rev. Dr. Charles
J. Dodeson. He was about G5 years
Old He was buried With simplicity. and
The world scarce knew that such man
lad passed away until it began to re-
fleet who he really was, and then it
mou1ned indeed. This man was a grave
ard reverend scholar. His whole thought
and tabor seemed to be heavy and to
deal with weigbty and most serious
things For twenty-five years at OK
ford he lactured on mathematics. He
published many solid books; heavy
treatises. He wrote of geometry and
4rgonometry. Of science and statistics.
he wrote a Syllabus of Plane and
AlgebraicaI Geometry "A Guide to the
Mathematical Student" AN Elemen-
tary Treatise on Determinants," "Eu-
cid and His Modern Rivals" "Curiosa
Mathematical, and other works of grave
Importance These and his lectures
made him known and highly valued
among scholars of mathematics, but be-
You'd that small world he was little APP
preeiated and as a clergyman he was by
no means prominent In his calling, good,
earnest and talented though he was.
But after all the years he suddenly
IN 1883 struck out for recreation in a line
ut right angles to all the habit of his
thought and nfe and, as if by pure re-
vulslon from mathematics. gave to the
world under the pseudenym Of Lewis
Carroll that marvellous work "Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland"
All childhood exclaimed with delight
on its appearance. The juvenile world
went into ecstacies over it. It was
translated into many tongues and more
copies Of it were sold in q day than Of
all the books Of all the editions of Dr.
Dodgson's other works for all their
years. Then surprised that the least
effort Of his life had proved the great
est. and was the largest measure of good
10 the world. he wrote several other
charming books for children. and gave
Us Through the Looking Glass" and in
1876 that bewitching, tantalizing, de-
lightful thing. The Hunting of the
Shark" and after It many another book
came from the loving pen of Lewis Car
roll that the child world welcomed with
open heart. unspeakable gratitude and
thankfulness. The New York Times
recently looked into the matter and
found that the early edition of Alice in
Wonderland" with Tenniel's illustra-
lions. are in demand at $50 and SO and
one with an autograph letter sold TO c.
j. Foote Of New York for $57 30 the
other day.
Through the Looking Glass. 1872
IS not as rare as Alice" though it sell
dom occurs for sale MIR. Foote's copy,
in stikeman binding. sold for SO. and
8Taxweli's and Bierstadt's. both in the
original cloth. for $40 80 and S11.
"Phantasmagoria." 1869. is scarce. bu;
not valuable. Foote's going for 50 % and
HierStadfs for s. 70 while the other
Carroll books, from THE Hunting of the
SHARK 1876. down To -Sylvle and
Bruno Concluded. 1885 bring at auc-
1ion from - - TO s. each. Rhyme and
Reason. 1883. is perheps an exception,
fol Foote's copy brought 81 -, and
Blerstadrs &c
Long. long after men have forgotten
al about such a work as .Curiosa Math-
ematiea.e By Or. Charles Lutwidge
Dodgson. long after the thirty years OF
scholarly. grave and weighty labor OF
This man Of great intellect and wonder
ful mathematical powers. a logiciaa and
a reasoner. shah have passed 10 the
keeping Of library shelves only, Lewis
carroll, the author. Of ssylvie and Bru-
TO. viii i've green and. bright in thS
hearts Of children who pore over tbs
pages Of Alice IN wonderland"
So here was a man whose greatest ef-
fort, like that Of many another man