Dodgson, Charles Lutwidge "Lewis Carroll".

sending a photograph of himself and also 'one of "Xie"' [Alexandra Rhoda Kitchin]; discussing 'pathetic ballads'; asking about Connie Gilchrist ('...I know and like the child herself (for as yet she is hardly more)... Poor child, with her own beauty + (I fear) bad influences around her, she is heavily weighted in the race of life...'); suggesting writing a double acrostic ('...it would be something to think about when lying awake at night...'); noting that he is 'constantly playing' the game of 'Lanrick' with 'my brother-tutors here'; discussing the naming of the game 'Word-Links' and suggesting 'Doublets'; remonstrating over a recently published article entitled 'Hard Cases' ('...I have been recommending my young lady friends... to take up "Doublets", and... it comes on me rather as shock to find that the same paper invites them to discuss a question of bastardy...'); sending a copy of his Twelve months in a Curatorship? and asking in any review to 'make no allusion to "Lewis Carroll"'; taking exception to an advert for The Lady noting '...I would suggest the omission of the dogma "to look beautiful is one of the first duties of a lady"... I don't think ladies care to be told that... to the newly-married wife you might usefully suggest... that she must make it one of her chief objects to make her husband's home pleasant and beautiful... but the maid does not need to be thus counselled: + to the elderly, whose charms are matters of history, such words are a mockery...'); giving an opinion on being a bachelor and children ('Your description of domestic bliss is rather cruel to an old bachelor... even children are all very well in their way – but unfortunately they are sometimes in other peoples' way, as well...'); seeking advice on finding 'a respectable amateur detective' (to track down a photographer who had done some work 'for a facsimile-book I am bringing out.') [Alice's Adventures Under Ground]; explaining that he has 'for some years practically retired from Society, + have found it a very great relief, in view of the quantity of brain-work I yet wish to do, and the (probably) few years of full brain-power left...'; asking for help to address a problem in Eastbourne which 'every Sunday... was made into a bear-garden, by the determined efforts of the Salvationists to defy the existing law, by playing musical instruments in their processions...'; declining to contribute to an autograph book; asking to call 'attention to two little publications of mine, which are not so well-known as "Alice"...' (including the Nursery Alice); suggesting a parody of Liberal political measures, in addition to other corrections to articles, suggested contributions, imploring The Lady to buy 'a rather larger stock of capital italics, lamenting 'bad English' in published verse (and requesting anonymity for his criticism), etc. 8vo, mostly Christ Church Oxford, 23 January 1879 – 8 April 1892, 54 pages, some soiling, creases, one letter incomplete, 3 June 1886 letter carbon copy with some loss

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922) founded Vanity Fair in 1868 and The Lady in 1884. In 1892 he entered politics and, later, became an authority on international and maritime law. (See also lot 129). Extracts from three of these letters were noted in Naylor's 1965 biography of Bowles and subsequently appeared in Cohen's edition of letters. The full texts and the remaining letters are unknown to Carroll scholarship.