DODGSON (CHARLES LUTWIDGE) Autograph letter signed ("C.L. Dodgson"), to Mrs Symonds, explaining why he dislikes "letters of mine being put into autograph-collections" and his horror lest strangers identify him with Lewis Carroll, Christ Church, Oxford, 9 November 1891
Lot 30
DODGSON (CHARLES LUTWIDGE)
Autograph letter signed ("C.L. Dodgson"), to Mrs Symonds, explaining why he dislikes "letters of mine being put into autograph-collections" and his horror lest strangers identify him with Lewis Carroll, Christ Church, Oxford, 9 November 1891
Sold for £ 11,875 (US$ 15,101) inc. premium

Lot Details
DODGSON (CHARLES LUTWIDGE) 'Lewis Carroll'
Autograph letter signed ("C.L. Dodgson"), to Mrs Symonds, explaining why he dislikes "letters of mine being put into autograph-collections" and his horror lest strangers identify him with Lewis Carroll: "All that sort of publicity leads to strangers hearing of my real name in connection with the books, and to my being pointed out to, and stared at by, strangers, and treated as a 'lion'. And I hate all that so intensely that sometimes I almost wish I had never written any books at all", even though he realizes that there are plenty of people "who like being looked at as a notoriety" and plenty who do not understand why he doesn't share this feeling and who cannot understand that human beings should have such different tastes; but stressing that "We are not all made on the same pattern: & our likes & dislikes are very different", 3 pages, 8vo, Christ Church, Oxford, 9 November 1891

Footnotes

  • 'SOMETIMES I ALMOST WISH I HAD NEVER WRITTEN ANY BOOKS AT ALL' – LEWIS CARROLL CRAVES LITERARY ANONYMITY, explaining just how much he loathes being famous and resents people collecting his letters. Dodgson could be intensely shy – especially in adult company – and strenuously objected to giving out his autograph; so much so that in 1890 he had printed The Stranger Circular which he sent to would-be collectors, in which Mr Dodgson bluntly refused to have anything to do with books published under another name. Nevertheless he had no qualms about hunting down such 'lions' himself, especially when it came to taking their photograph.
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