Letter Card to Mrs. Mallalieu

TRANSCRIPTION:
Outside of Letter Card

Mrs. Mallalieu
     22 Richmond Road
          Sheperd's Bush
              London

Inside of Letter Card
                                            Ch. Ch. Oxford
                                                        July 1, 1892
Dear Mrs. Mallalieu,
      Thanks for your letter. I
shall be very glad to have Polly's
company to church: & hope we
may be allowed to read a little of
the Bible together, as I love to do
with my young friends.
      "Straps" do not sound a good
way of packing frocks without
crushing. She will like to have
one or two extra ones. as one for
walking.  Besides the one she comes
in, which will do for walking,
she might like one for such a
thing as an evening concert, &
perhaps a second morning one,
in case of being caught in a
shower. My little friend Isa Bow-
man is rather apt to dress in
gaudy colours, which I don't
much like, as it makes us too
conspicuous: but I think I

Second Card Front

need not fear that, in Polly's case, after
seeing how quietly & tastefully she was
dressed, the day I had the pleasure of her
society. It will be very little trouble to
bring my small 'pormanteau' (it is very
small) & then she can bring frocks without
any risk of creasing. Please send, with her,
enough things for a week, at least. I don"t
like to name more than 3 days, to begin with.
After that, one can judge whether she would
like to go home or stay a little longer.
     Mrs. Dyer, or her maid, will be able to
give her all the help she can need. whether
for dressing or undressing.
     Of course any theatre-engagement

Second Card Back

would prevent, or would bring to an end,
her visit, that is why I want to have
her as soon as I can, while she is still
un-engaged.
    I don't see a chance of getting to East-
bourne till 'aect' Wednesday or Thursday:
but as soon as I am settled there, I will
propose a day for fetching my newest
little friend.
                                Very Sincerely yours,
                                       C. J. Dodgson
It is a great pity that theatre-companies
if use so much of waht God means to be out
"day of rest," in travelling about: & I am
glad to think that you & Polly are having
just now, plenty of Sundays that are not
"spent in the train."


Notes on Writing
The outside of the letter card is stamped Oxford and Paddington W as to places that it has travelled through to arrive at London. The inside of the card is written with the card turned vertically, and it is very cramped writing. He marks out words, so he is not afraid to make mistakes. On the front of the second card, the card is positioned horizontally with the writing still taking up every available space. He begins to use lots of commas here and a lot of underlining for emphasis. On the back of the second card, the card is still horizontal, but it is more spacious for the paragraph with the post script being cramped.

Notes on Content
Dodgson spends the majority of this letter worrying about and speckifying what Polly should wear and how it should be packed. He has specific style s and colours that are acceptable to him. This letter leads to raised eyebrows in the way that he addresses the mother and talks about the daughter. Polly, though talked about like a child, is clearly old enough to have a profession in the theatre for he is worried about her getting called to an engagement there. He placates the mother as well as reassuring her of their activities with references of taking her to church and reading the Bible with her. It is an emphasis on the innocence of his friendship. He also makes references to how many little friends he has. Although he calls her little, she isn't a small child upon further research. She is older which adds a bit of oddity to the language used reguarding her.