THE LITTLE PRINCES
First of all there is an explanatory paragraph.
“As you don’t ask any questions about ‘The Demon of the Pit,’ I suppose you understand it all. So please answer these questions just as you would do if a younger child (say Mollie) asked them.”
Mollie. Please, Ethel, will you explain this poem to me. There are some very hard words in it.
Ethel. What are they, dear?
Mollie. Well, in the first line, “If you chance to make a sally.” What does “sally” mean?
Ethel. Dear Mollie, I believe sally means to take a chance work.
Mollie. Then, near the end of the first verse—“Whereupon she’ll call her cronies”—what does “whereupon” mean? And what are cronies?
Ethel. I think whereupon means at the same time, and cronies means her favourite playfellows.
Mollie. “And invest in proud polonies.” What’s to “invest?”
Ethel. To invest means to spend money in anything you fancy.
Mollie. And what’s “A woman of the day?”
Ethel. A woman of the day means a wonder of the time with the general public.
Mollie. “Pyrotechnic blaze of wit.” What’s pyrotechnic?
Ethel. Mollie, I think you will find that pyrotechnic means quick, with flashes of lightning.
Mollie. Then the 8 lines that begin “The astounding infant wonder”—please explain “rôle” and “mise” and “tout ensemble” and “grit.”
Ethel. Well, Mollie, “rôle” means so many different things, but in “The Demon of the Pit” I should think it meant the leading part of the piece, and “mise” means something extra good introduced, and “tout” means to seek for applause, but “ensemble” means the whole of the parts taken together, and grit means something good.
Mollie. “And the Goblins prostrate tumble.” What’s “prostrate”?
Ethel. I believe prostrate means to be cast down and unhappy.
Mollie. “And his accents shake a bit.” What are “accents”?
Ethel. To accent is to lay stress upon a word.
Mollie. “Waits resignedly behind.” What’s “resignedly”?
Ethel. Resignedly means giving up, yielding.
Mollie. “They have tripe as light to dream on.” What does “as” mean here? and what does “to dream on” mean?
Ethel. Mollie, dear, your last question is very funny. In the first place, I have always been told that hot suppers are not good for any one, and I should think that tripe would not be light to dream on but VERY heavy.
Mollie. Thank you, Ethel.
I have now nearly finished my little memoir of Lewis Carroll; that is to say, I have written down all that I can remember of my personal knowledge of him. But I think it is from the letters and the diaries published in this book that my readers must chiefly gain an insight into the character of the greatest friend to children who ever lived. Not only did he study children’s ways for his own pleasure, but he studied them in order that he might please them. For instance, here is a letter that he wrote to my little sister Nelly eight years ago, which begins on the last page and is written entirely backwards—a kind of variant on his famous “Looking-Glass” writing. You have to begin at the last word and read backwards before you can understand it. The only ordinary thing about it is the date. It begins—I mean begins if one was to read it in the ordinary way—with the characteristic monogram, C. L. D.
“Nov. 1, 1891.
“C. L. D., Uncle loving your! Instead grandson his to it give to had you that so, years 80 or 70 for it forgot you that was it pity a what and: him of fond so were you wonder don’t I and, gentleman old nice very a was he. For it made you that him been have must it see you so: grandfather my was, then alive was that, ‘Dodgson Uncle’ only the. Born was I before long was that, see you, then But. ‘Dodgson Uncle for pretty thing some make I’ll now,’ it began you when, yourself to said you that, me telling her without, knew I course of and: ago years many great a it made had you said she. Me told Isa what from was it? For meant was it who out made I how know you do! Lasted has it well how and. Grandfather my for made had you Antimacassar pretty that me give to you of nice so was it, Nelly dear my.”