415. CHARLES L. DODGSON (1831-1898) "Lewis Carroll", English author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Superb, important-content A.L.S. "C.L. Dodgson" with holograph transmittal envelope, 3pp. 8vo., East Bourne, Aug. 1, 1896 to Mrs. Aubrey Moore in Oxford, a letter in which the 64-year-old author apologizes for having been caught having a private "tete-a-tete" with his correspondent's 14-year-old daughter, about whom only a week earlier Dodgson had inquired, asking if she was "kissable"! His letter opens with mention of taking the "sea-breezes" and arranging the boarding of his nieces, then commences to explain what was certainly scandalous behavior at the time, and would be considered such today. In part: "...Many thanks for your kind and candid letter...I am very glad that I followed, in this case, what has long been a rule with me, viz. that, when making a request that may possibly be refused, I always do it in writing - I think it is not fair, on one's friends, to ask 'viva voce' for a favour...One thing, however, I do regret, viz. that, without in the least suspecting that you would object, I asked for, & had, a long 'tete-a-tete' with Margery. Kindly accept my apologies for this: I will never do it again. I may perhaps be excused, for never imagining that you would object to my meeting with your girls 'tete-a-tete', by the fact that among the very many mothers & daughters whom I have met in the course of a long life, the mothers, who feel this objection, are not more than one or two per cent of the whole number..." Two tiny bits of clear archival tape at bottom of last page, clear of text, with similar mounting strip on last page, else very good. Only a week earlier, Dodgson had written Mrs. Aubrey-Moore from Oxford, mentioning his desire to meet her young daughters in private, asking her permission to kiss them, and especially mentioning Margery. In part: "...Would you kindly tell me if I may reckon your girls as invitable...to tea or dinner singly-I know of cases where they are invitable in sets only (like circulating-library novels), & such friendships I don't think worth going on with. I don't think anyone knows what girl-nature is, who has only seen them in the presence of their mothers or sister. Also, are they kissable? I hope you won't be shocked at the question: but nearly all my girl-friends...are now on those terms with me...With girls under 14, I don't think it necessary to ask the question: but I guess Margery to be over 14: & in such cases, with new friends, I usually ask the mother's leave..." Modern students of Dodgson continue to theorize on the author's passion towards young girls, details of which are never seen in his letters. Carroll's 1995 biographer, Morton N. Cohen, estimated that Carroll spent three-quarters of his time on such girls. Specially telling evidence of Carroll's sexual proclivities is that he cut relations with one girl for six months after having being reproached by the girl's mother. Indeed, Alice Lidell's own relationship with Dodgson has been questioned, and the two ended their relationship two years after he related to her his famous tales. $6,000-7,000