The Complete Alice in Wonderland (Wonderland Imprints Master Editions)

by Lewis Carroll

  Thus he wastes half his days, and his hours without number,

  And when he gets up, he sits folding his hands,

  Or walks about sauntering, or trifling he stands.

  I pass’d by his garden, and saw the wild brier,

  The thorn and the thistle grown broader and higher;

  The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags;

  And his money still wastes till be starves or he begs.

  I made him a visit, still hoping to find

  That he took better care for improving his mind:

  He told me his dream, talked of eating and drinking;

  But he scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking.

  Said I then to my heart, “Here’s a lesson for me,”

  This man’s a picture of what I might be:

  But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding,

  Who taught me betimes to love working and reading.

  Speak Gently (Excerpt)

  by G.W. Langford

  Speak gently to the little child!

  Its love be sure to gain;

  Teach it accents soft and mild;

  It may not long remain.

  Speak gently to the young, for they

  Will have enough to bear;

  Pass through this life as best they may,

  ’Tis full of anxious care!

  The Spider and the Fly

  by Mary Howitt

  “Will you walk into my parlor?”

  Said a spider to a fly;

  ’Tis the prettiest little parlor

  That ever you did spy.

  The way into my parlor

  Is up a winding stair,

  And I have many pretty things

  To show when you are there.”

  “Oh, no, no!” said the little fly,

  “To ask me is in vain;

  For who goes up your winding stair

  Can ne’er come down again.”

  “I’m sure you must be weary

  With soaring up so high;

  Will you rest upon my little bed?”

  Said the spider to the fly.

  “There are pretty curtains drawn around,

  The sheets are fine and thin;

  And if you like to rest awhile,

  I’ll snugly tuck you in.”

  “Oh, no, no!” said the little fly,

  “For I’ve often heard it said,

  They never, never wake again

  Who sleep upon your bed.”

  Said the cunning spider to the fly,

  “Dear friend, what shall I do

  To prove the warm affection

  I’ve always felt for you?

  I have within my pantry

  Good store of all that’s nice;

  I’m sure you’re very welcome-

  Will you please to take a slice.

  “Oh, no, no!” said the little fly,

  “Kind sir, that cannot be;

  I’ve heard what’s in your pantry,

  And I do not wish to see.”

  “Sweet creature,” said the spider,

  “You’re witty and you’re wise;

  How handsome are your gauzy wings,

  How brilliant are your eyes.

  I have a little looking-glass

  Upon my parlor shelf;

  If you’ll step in one moment, dear,

  You shall behold yourself.”

  “I thank you, gentle sir,” she said,

  “For what you’re pleased to say,

  And bidding you good-morning, now,

  I’ll call another day.”

  The spider turned him round about,

  And went into his den,

  For well he knew the silly fly

  Would soon be back again;

  So he wove a subtle thread

  In a little corner sly,

  And set his table ready

  To dine upon the fly.

  He went out to his door again,

  And merrily did sing,

  “Come hither, hither, pretty fly,

  With the pearl and silver wing;

  Your robes are green and purple,

  There’s a crest upon your head;

  Your eyes are like the diamond bright,

  But mine are dull as lead.”

  Alas, alas! how very soon

  This silly little fly,

  Hearing his wily, flattering words,

  Came slowly flitting by

  With buzzing wings she hung aloft,

  Then near and nearer drew—

  Thought only of her brilliant eyes,

  And green and purple hue;

  Thought only of her crested head—

  Poor foolish thing!

  At last up jumped the cunning spider,

  And fiercely held her fast.

  He dragged her up his winding stair,

  Into his dismal den

  Within his little parlor—but

  She ne’er came out again!

  And now, dear little children

  Who may this story read,

  To idle, silly, flattering words,

  I pray you, ne’er give heed:

  Unto an evil counsellor

  Close heart and ear and eye,

  And learn a lesson from this tale

  Of the spider and the fly.

  The Star

  By Jane Taylor

  Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

  How I wonder what you are!

  Up above the world so high,

  Like a diamond in the sky.

  When the blazing sun is gone,

  When he nothing shines upon

  Then you show your little light,

  Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

  Then the traveller in the dark

  Thanks you for you tiny spark:

  He could not see which way to go,

  If you did not twinkle so.

  In the dark blue sky you keep,

  And often through my curtains peep,

  For you never shut your eye

  ’Til the sun is in the sky.

  As your bright and tiny spark

  Lights the traveller in the dark,

  Though I know not what you are,

  Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

  Star of the Evening

  by James M. Sayle

  Beautiful star in heav’n so bright,

  Softly falls thy silv’ry light,

  As thou movest from earth afar,

  Star of the evening, beautiful star.

  Beautiful star,

  Beautiful star,

  Star of the evening, beautiful star.

  In Fancy’s eye thou seem’st to say,

  Follow me, come from earth away.

  Upward thy spirit’s pinions try,

  To realms of love beyond the sky.

  Shine on, oh star of love divine,

  And may our soul’s affection twine

  Around thee as thou movest afar,

  Star of the twilight, beautiful star.

  Summer Days (Excerpt)

  by Mark Wilks Call

  In summer, when the days are long,

  Alone I wander, muse alone;

  I see her not, but that old song,

  Under the fragrant wind is blown,

  In summer, when the days are long.

  Alone I wander in the wood,

  But one fair spirit hears my sighs;

  And half I see the crimson hood,

  The radiant hair, the calm glad eyes,

  That charmed me in life’s summer mood.

  In summer, when the days are long,

  I loved her as I loved of old;

  My heart is light, my step is strong,

  For love brings back those hours of gold,

  In summer, when the days are long.

  The Tarts

  (Mother Goose)

  The Queen of Hearts,

  She made some tarts,

  All on a summer’s day;

  The Knave
of Hearts,

  He stole the tarts,

  And took them clean away.

  The King of Hearts

  Called for the tarts,

  And beat the Knave full sore;

  The Knave of Hearts

  Brought back the tarts,

  And vowed he’d steal no more.

  Tweedledum and Tweedledee

  (Mother Goose)

  Tweedledum and Tweedledee

  Agreed to have a battle;

  For Tweedledum said Tweedledee

  Had spoiled his nice new rattle.

  Just then flew down a monstrous crow,

  As black as a tar-barrel;

  Which frightened both the heroes so,

  They quite forgot their quarrel.

  Suggested Further Reading

  ONE OF my frustrations as a Carrollian devotee is that most of the works concerning Alice are highly erudite, deep to the point of absolute thickness and gravely all-too-serious. While such works are informative, I believe the intelligent and pleasure-seeking reader is too often overwhelmed by the grim nature of a steady diet of such works. I recommend a few of the best of them below, but I also offer some of the best visual books, most entertaining story compilations, and flat-out funny books available. I believe Mr. Carroll would agree with me when I insist that humorous stories should not become such a drudgery to read! Please enjoy my admittedly eccentric list, which I believe exemplifies the finest books on Carroll out there (both academic and otherwise).

  Alice’s Adventures in Oxford: A rare and diminutive book that provides a gorgeous array of photographs and some brilliant insights into Alice’s real-world Oxfordian environment. Highly recommended, but frustrating to find.

  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, illustrated by Robert Ingpen: This beautiful edition is my favorite Alice for children, due to its lavish, touching and imaginative illustrations.

  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Hunting of the Snark and Through the Looking-Glass, illustrated by Mervyn Peake: An acquired taste, Peake’s illustrations are some of the most brilliant, heart-felt and personal portraits of Alice’s world in existence.

  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, illustrated by Peter Weevers: This edition has some of the very finest illustrations of the classic story (outside of Tenniel, of course!).

  The Alice Companion, by Jo Elwyn Jones and J. Francis Gladstone: An extremely helpful “encyclopedia” of real-world Alice connections.

  Alice in Sunderland, by Bryan Talbot: A bold, headstrong and wonderfully eccentric graphic novel, focusing on one man’s obsession with Alice, Carroll and the Sunderland region. This one is all over the place, in a good way!

  Alice in Wonderland: The Visual Guide, by Jo Casey and Laura Gilbert: The beautiful companion book to the recent hit movie. Gorgeous and inspiring.

  Alternative Alices, edited by Carolyn Sigler: An excellent collection of Alice-themed stories and essays.

  The Annotated Alice, by Martin Gardner: By far the best “classic” print edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.

  The Annotated Hunting of the Snark, by Martin Gardner: The finest print edition of Carroll’s nonsensical epic.

  Aspects of Alice, edited by Robert Phillips: A brilliant collection of Alice-oriented reflections and research essays.

  Beyond the Looking-Glass: Reflections of Alice and Her Family, by Colin Gordon: A masterfully researched, sympathetic and moving portrait of Alice Liddell and her family.

  The Illustrators of Alice in Wonderland, by Graham Ovenden and John Davis: This difficult-to-find, tiny book features a spectacular array of the various illustrations created for Alice over the past 150 years.

  Jabberwocky, illustrated by Graeme Base: Arguably the finest illustrated version of Carroll’s classic poem. Very fun for children and the young at heart.

  Lewis Carroll: A Biography, by Morton N. Cohen: The most helpful and in-depth Carroll biography, in my opinion. (There are many more excellent biographies, but they become drear and repetitive after awhile!)

  Lewis Carroll: An Illustrated Biography, by Derek Hudson: Other biographies are far more studious and authoritative, but I recommend this one for the casual reader due to its wonderful collection of photographs and illustrations. One of the best “short” biographies out there.

  Lewis Carroll As I Knew Him, by Isa Bowman: An intriguing short “confessional” by one of Carroll’s “child-friends,” unique for some of its insights and personal asides concerning the mysterious gentleman.

  Lewis Carroll: The Complete Illustrated Works: I have issues with this compilation, but it is still one of the best print bargains out there for a reader who wants to see the full breadth of Carroll’s other creations.

  Lewis Carroll and His World, by John Pudney: A charming short biography of Lewis Carroll, primarily of value due to its treasure trove of photographs.

  Lewis Carroll: Photographer, by Roger Taylor and Edward Wakeling: If you can afford it, this is probably the best collection of Carroll’s photographs (including many of Alice and the other Liddells).

  The Lewis Carroll Picture Book, edited by Stuart Dodgson Collingwood: The classic collection of Carroll’s juvenilia, miscellanea and rarer works. Filled with his illustrations, puzzles and photographs as well.

  The Magic of Lewis Carroll, edited by John Fisher: An baffling and occasionally brilliant collection of Carroll’s games and puzzles.

  The Real Alice, by Anne Clark: Probably the finest biography of Alice Liddell, including a plethora of rarities.

  The Snark Was a Boojum: A Life of Lewis Carroll, by James Playsted Wood: An idiosyncratic and amusing glimpse of Lewis Carroll. A bit outdated, but pleasantly light.

  The Victorian Fairy Tale Book, by Michael Patrick Hearn: While not strictly an Alice book, this is one of the best collections for readers who want to experience other, more obscure tales of Victorian fairy lands.

  A Curious Glossary of Victoriana & Carrolliana

  Compiled by Kent David Kelly

  TRUE TO Carroll’s playful, bookish and thoroughly Victorian nature, the “Alice” stories are filled with words that are delightful, odd and nonsensical. Many of these definitions are featured in the texts themselves, while others can be deciphered in context. Considering the endless stream of such confusing terms, however, it may be beneficial to gather them all in one place for the benefit of the inquisitive reader.

  Further, Carroll assumed the reader’s casual familiarity with various Victorian objects which scarcely exist in our world any longer (such as sal-volatile, treacle, nosegays and bathing-machines). When added to Carroll’s own intentionally odd inventions, these items (while charming) only add to the reader’s confusion.

  It is hoped that this combined glossary of Victoriana and Carrolliana will be helpful to the last. Please enjoy, and thank you for reading The Complete Alice in Wonderland!

  Bandersnatch: A dangerous predatory creature which pounces out and snatches unfortunate victims away.

  Barrister: A gentleman who gives expert legal opinions and pleadings in a court of law.

  Bathing-Machine: A wheeled enclosure, used to allow modest sea-bathing in absolute seclusion.

  Beamish: Joyful, celebratory and idealistic.

  Bellman: A town crier, who makes public announcements on behalf of the court (“Oyez,” “Hear ye, hear ye,” etc.).

  Blotting-Paper: A highly absorbent type of paper, used to quickly mop up ink stains.

  Bolster: A long narrow pillow, typically used as a headrest or back support.

  Boojum: A Snark which has grown so powerful, so convinced of its own reality, that dreamers who behold it are snuffed out of existence.

  Boots: Someone who shines and blackens boots for a living.

  Borogove: A shaggy, long-legged bird, which looks like a mixture of a parrot, a toucan and a flamingo.

  Bowsprit: The long pole that projects from the prow (front) of a ship to secure and extend the rigging.

  Bridecake:
A Victorian wedding cake.

  Brillig: The time in the afternoon (4:00 PM) when you begin boiling things for dinner. The word may come from “broil,” but may also signify “bright light.”

  Brooch: A clasp or pin, which keeps a wrapping garment (such as a cloak or shawl) comfortably in place. The brooch is typically separate from the garment so that its position can be adjusted to allow for changes in wind, weather and so forth.

  Ca’n’t: The Victorian contraction for “cannot.” (The apostrophes, as placed, are Carroll’s preference.)

  Callay, Callooh: Calls of celebration, such as “Huzzah!”

  Castling: A move in chess, in which the rooks are moved to protect the king from attack. (In Looking-Glass Chess, castling involves simultaneous movement of the queens.)

  Caucus-Race: A joke made on English political practices. A caucus is a meeting of members belonging to the same political party, while a race is a contest between political rivals. A caucus-race, then, is a pointless (but energetic!) contest between political allies.

  Chimney-Piece: The mantle shelf over a fireplace.

  Coal-Scuttle: A bucket used to store coal inside of a home or other building.

  Comfits: Small Victorian candies, typically made with spices, fruit, nuts or other flavorful additions.