Part 14 (1/2)

_Niemand_--_Both ways_ He adds, directly afterwards, ”A line has two different directions,” &c

_Minos_--So your definition needs a postscript But there is yet another difficulty How far from a point is the ”next” point?

_Niemand_--At an infinitely small distance, of course

You will find the matter fully discussed in my work on the Infinitesimal Calculus

_Minos_--A most satisfactory answer for a teacher toGeometry!

In Act IV Euclid reappears to Minos, ”followed by the ghosts of Archioras, &c, who have come to see fair play” Euclid thus sums up his case:--

”'The cock doth craw, the day doth daw,' and all respectable ghosts ought to be going home Let me carry with me the hope that I have convinced you of the necessity of retaining ht Lines, Angles, Right Angles, and (most especially) Parallels Leave reat contented and improved--while alternative proofs are appended to mine--and while new Problems and Theorems are interpolated In all these matters my Manual is capable of almost unlison quotes the opinions of two eminent an, in support of his argu this subject I should like to refer to a very novel use of Mr Dodgson's book--its employment in a school Mr G Hopkins, Matheh School at Manchester, US, and himself the author of a ”Manual of Plane Geoed from fourteen or fifteen upwards He first called their attention to so to the question of Parallels, put a copy of Euclid in their hands, and let them see his treatment of theson's ”Euclid and His Modern Rivals” and ”New Theory of Parallels”

Perhaps it is the fact that Alish, but at any rate the youngsters are reported to have read the two books with an earnestness and a persistency that were as gratifying to their instructor as they were coson

In June of the same year an entry in the Diary refers to a proposal in Convocation to allow the University Club to have a cricket-ground in the Parks This had been proposed in 1867, and then rejected Mr

Dodgson sent round to the Common Rooms copies of a poem on ”The Deserted Parks,” which had been published by Messrs Parker in 1867, and which was afterwards included in ”Notes by an Oxford Chiel” I quote the first few lines:--

Museu of the plain Where Cherinds towards the distant reen, Where humble happiness endeared the scene!

How often have I paused on every charroups of trees, with seats beneath the shade For prattling babes and whisp'ring loversbrawl, the busy mill, Where tiny urchins vied in fistic skill

(Two phrases only have that dusky race Caught from the learned influence of the place; Phrases in their simplicity sublime, ”Scramble a copper!” ”Please, sir, what's the time?”) These round thy walks their cheerful influence shed; These were thy charms--but all these charms are fled, Amidst thy bowers the tyrant's hand is seen, And rude pavilions sadden all thy green; One selfish pastirasps the whole dolades, all sacrificed to cricket, The hollow-sounding bat now guards the wicket; Sunk are thy ht i froo

Ill fares the place, to luxury a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and minds decay: Athletic sports may flourish or may fade, Fashi+on may make them, even as it has made; But the broad Parks, the city's joy and pride, When once destroyed can never be supplied!

Readers of ”Sylvie and Bruno” will remember the way in which the invisible fairy-children save the drunkard froson uardian angel That such an idea would not have been inconsistent with his way of looking at things is shown by the following letter:

Ch Ch, _July_, 1879

My dear Ethel,--I have been long intending to answer your letter of April 11th, chiefly as to your question in reference to Mrs N--'s letter about the little S--s [whose mother had recently died] You say you don't see ”how they can be guided aright by their dead ht can come from her” Many people believe that our friends in the other world can and do influence us in soht to show us our duty My own feeling is, it _ has been revealed about it That the angels do so _is_ revealed, and we may feel sure of _that_; and there is a beautiful fancy (for I don't think one can call ita child behind her in this world, is allowed to be a sort of guardian angel to that child” Perhaps Mrs N-- believes that

Here are two other entries in the Diary:--

_Aug 26th_--Worked fro 101/2 hours altogether) at an idea which occurred to onometry, for the benefit of the circle-squarers

_Dec 12th_--Invented a neay of working one word into another I think of calling the puzzle ”syzygies”

I give the first three specimens:--

MAN } permanent } entice } Send MAN on ICE

ICE }