BIB_ID
332628
Accession number
MA 6392
Creator
Sullivan, Arthur, 1842-1900.
Display Date
London, 1877 May 17.
Credit line
Gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., 1987.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 17.6 x 11.2 cm
Notes
The letter has Carroll's letter record number at upper right on the first page.
On mourning stationery, with embossed letterhead: "9, Albert Mansions, / S. W."
This item is part of the Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., Lewis Carroll collection. The large collection includes printed books, letters, manuscripts, puzzles and games, personal effects and ephemera, which have been cataloged separately.
Removed from the "Carrolliana" album (MA 6347) assembled by Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., folio 6.
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson adopted the pseudonym "Lewis Carroll" in 1856 when publishing a poem in "The Train." He used the pseudonym when publishing Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and other works, but wrote under his given name, Charles Dodgson, when publishing mathematical works and in daily life.
On mourning stationery, with embossed letterhead: "9, Albert Mansions, / S. W."
This item is part of the Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., Lewis Carroll collection. The large collection includes printed books, letters, manuscripts, puzzles and games, personal effects and ephemera, which have been cataloged separately.
Removed from the "Carrolliana" album (MA 6347) assembled by Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., folio 6.
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson adopted the pseudonym "Lewis Carroll" in 1856 when publishing a poem in "The Train." He used the pseudonym when publishing Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and other works, but wrote under his given name, Charles Dodgson, when publishing mathematical works and in daily life.
Provenance
From the Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., Lewis Carroll collection; gift of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., 1987.
Summary
Apologizing for his delayed answer; giving his opinions on the idea of a theatrical adaptation of Alice in Wonderland: "I still think it would be better to treat the whole work dramatically than to set single songs, for if it were adapted for the stage, music would probably form a very prominent feature in it, & the songs would be the least difficult part to write"; saying that he thinks he could "guarantee its performance at a good London theatre" and cautioning that the publication of the songs alone, before the production was mounted, would "materially weaken the effect"; adding "My idea would be to make it into a delicious little extravaganza, with a great deal of delicate music of various kinds, solo & [concerted]. Carefully mounted, it would be a great success, artistically & financially"; saying that if Carroll is interested, he will take the earliest opportunity to come down to Oxford for the day to talk it over; writing that if Carroll decides he would like only the songs to be set, he (Sullivan) would try to do that as well; describing his terms for such a project: "I either take a sum down, from the publisher, or receive from him so much a copy. I never charge for the right of performing songs, but a successful dramatic [piece] would be a source of considerable profit to both of us"; asking Carroll to contact him once he has thought the matter over.
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