That July 4 is the anniversary of the 1776 signing of the American Declaration of Independence from Britain may at best draw a yawn from anyone not born in or living in America. Other stuff happens on July 4, even if we American's are too busy to notice.
For instance, on this date in 1862 Reverend Charles Dodgson and Reverend Robinson Duckworth, rowed up the Isis River, near Oxford England with the three daughters of Henry Liddell, the Dean of Christ Church, Lorina (13) Alice (10) and Edith (8). To amuse the children during their journey Dodgson told the girls a story, a story of a bored little girl who goes looking for adventure. The girls loved the tale and asked Dodgson to write it down for them. He began the manuscript the next day although he did not present the children with " Alice's Adventures Under Ground" until November 1864.
Pleased by the girl's reaction, Dodgson, writing as Lewis Carroll, went to work preparing Alice's tale for publication, expanding his story and illustrations. The world finally met Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in November 1865.
Happy Independence Day friends!
Toad
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2 comments:
We were there -- at Christ Church in Oxford -- in the dining room (most famous now for being the location of some Harry Potter filming) but before that, parts of Alice in Wonderland came from that room -- the andirons, the rabbit hole . . . .
Had no clue of these origins, how wonderful this is to know. In a similar vein, I read a quotation by Caroline Kennedy yesterday, she was answering the question whether her father read to her as a child. She replied no, only her mother read to her, but her father would make up stories using a jumble of key words little Caroline would provide. I found that enchanting.
And happy birthday to my grandmother Florence [for whom I'm named].
Happy Day to you and Mrs. T, Sir.
-Flo
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