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Details
DODGSON, Charles Lutwidge ("Lewis Carroll"). Le Avventure d'Alice nel Paese delle Meraviglie. London: Macmillan, 1872.
8o (184 x 130 mm). With 42 illustrations by John Tenniel. Original orange-red cloth, gilt-stamped, spine gilt-lettered, g.e., Burn & Co. binder's ticket on rear pastedown (binding broken with a few quires loose, covers rubbed and soiled, a little wear to extremities).
FIRST ITALIAN EDITION. PRESENTATION COPY TO DODGSON'S COUSIN MENELLA BUTE SMEDLEY, inscribed by the author on the half-title in his characteristic purple ink: "Menella Bute Smedley with the author's afft. regards. Mar. 23 1872". The poetess Menella Bute Smedley (1820-1877), kept house and cared for Dodgson's siblings for a short time after the death of his mother in 1851. The youngest children were then only seven and four, and the eldest daughters, at twenty and twenty-two, were not thought experienced enough to manage such a large household. Menella Smedley is affectionately mentioned in Dodgson's letters to his sisters both before and after his mother's death; on May 24, 1849, to his sister Elizabeth "... Have you been many walks with Aunt and Cousin Smedley? And How long are they going to stay with you?", and on March 6, 1851, to his sister Mary "As Cousin Menella cannot tell you the meaning of 'kakography,' I must do my best: ... Hence 'kakography' meant 'the wearing of paper flowers' and from this came to mean 'Vulgarity'". Dodgson valued his cousin's literary judgements, and even after his own reputation was established sent her manuscripts to criticize. A NICE ASSOCIATION COPY. Williams- Madan-Green-Crutch 85.
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FIRST ITALIAN EDITION. PRESENTATION COPY TO DODGSON'S COUSIN MENELLA BUTE SMEDLEY, inscribed by the author on the half-title in his characteristic purple ink: "Menella Bute Smedley with the author's afft. regards. Mar. 23 1872". The poetess Menella Bute Smedley (1820-1877), kept house and cared for Dodgson's siblings for a short time after the death of his mother in 1851. The youngest children were then only seven and four, and the eldest daughters, at twenty and twenty-two, were not thought experienced enough to manage such a large household. Menella Smedley is affectionately mentioned in Dodgson's letters to his sisters both before and after his mother's death; on May 24, 1849, to his sister Elizabeth "... Have you been many walks with Aunt and Cousin Smedley? And How long are they going to stay with you?", and on March 6, 1851, to his sister Mary "As Cousin Menella cannot tell you the meaning of 'kakography,' I must do my best: ... Hence 'kakography' meant 'the wearing of paper flowers' and from this came to mean 'Vulgarity'". Dodgson valued his cousin's literary judgements, and even after his own reputation was established sent her manuscripts to criticize. A NICE ASSOCIATION COPY. Williams- Madan-Green-Crutch 85.