February 2012 Auction Ends Tuesday, February 28th, 5pm Pacific

Lot #349:

Rare Lewis Carroll "Rhyme? and Reason?" First Edition and Autograph Letter Signed -- "…how much it must be abridged. I have treated the poet as one person, & ignored the second name 'Money Spinner'…"

Rare Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, aka Lewis Carroll, autograph letter signed and poem collection, "Rhyme? and Reason?" first edition published by MacMillan: London: 1883. The "Alice in Wonderland" creator writes to Charlotte Yonge, editor of "The Monthly Packet." In this 3pp. card-style letter dated 5 May 1880, penned in Dodgson's typical purple ink on his Christ Church stationery, Carroll writes: "My dear Miss Yonge, Here is the summary of the 27 replies. If you haven't room for it, please return it & tell me how much it must be abridged. I have treated the poet as one person, & ignored the second name 'Money Spinner.' You can correct this, if necessary, before sending it to your printer. Please ask him to send me 2 proofs, and the M.S. [manuscript] -- I will return him one proof corrected for Press -- when I do this, may I ask him to work me off a dozen proofs of the slip, before he sets it up in pages with the rest of the 'M.P.' [Monthly Packet]? C L Dodgson". The periodical published the short stories of Carroll that were ultimately compiled into his "A Tangled Tale" (1885). Carroll's "Rhyme? and Reason?" is a collection of poems in his literary nonsense style and includes his longest poem, the celebrated "Phantasmagoria." The 3.25" x 5.25" letter is taped to the fly-leaf of the book measuring 4.75" x 7.25" and running 214pp. The volume, in original pictorial cloth, is housed in a turquoise case. Slight soiling to green cloth boards and some cracking to endpapers at hinges. Moderate fading and wear to case. Overall very good condition.