Hatch

ref. 26836 — Macmillan & Co. London 1933. Pp.xviii.268 8vo endpapers foxed sl. hinge strain in slightly worn and dulled dj frontis. portrait illus. mainly book in very good condition. ENCLOSED: A. Two Autograph Letters Signed "Evelyn M. Hatch" both to Falconer Madan bibliographer of Lewis Carroll Printed heading 17 Pembroke Gardens W8 19 September 1933 and 13 November 1933: Letter One Sept. She anticipates the publication of her "Letters" and reveals the "howler" in the announcement "Nine or ten" wise words rather than "Eight or Nine" describing her vexation. Flu had brought previous correspondence with Madan to an abrupt end previously. "When I recovered I had to set to work as hard as possible to get the Lewis Carroll book finished in time for publication in the Autumn. It has involved an enormous amount of work & correspondence & I only hope there are not any pother bad mistakes. I shall await your verdict with anxiety ." She had hoped for more helpful conversation with him. She concludes with a word about the selection of letters and "a little tribute of gratitude" to him in the Preface; Letter Two Nov. She is pleased to receive his letter "the first I have had about the book saying she has not exaggerated her debts to him in her Preface. She asks for objective criticism voicing an ambition to write someone's biography "not of Lewis Carroll!". "Macmillan has certainly turned it out very well. I am not entirely satisfied with the illustrations but my choice was limited & there were very few photographs of children who were recipients of letters ." She expresses disappointment in Oxford booksellers whose welcome of the letters wasn't enthusiastic. "Although Macmillan sent them specimen-copies before the bound volumes were published Blackwell's only order six see description of another enclosure below & others only three & even one!" She expands on the point of Oxford's lack of interest and reveals that Major Dodgson's agent has "claimed three of the six complimentary 'author's copies' as included among his half share of profits!"; B. Bookmark advertising Blackwell's - presumably where Madan bought it; C. clipping from TLS of a letter Evelyn Hatch wrote to emphasise the pleasure young girls took in Carroll's company. Falconer Madan has added "recd Nov. 9. 1933" below the colophon two brief notes explicating two features of the poem by B.H. explicated as "Beatrice Hatch" an asterisk on p.vii and circa 12 lines of points on the back endpaper starting "Where are the originals" briefly alluding to "Snark 98" and concluding "Photography over in 1884 181" four points are ticked. Macmillan & Co., London, 1933. unknown