



Produced by MWS, Stephen Hutcheson, Carol Spears, and the
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                            SYLVIE AND BRUNO
                               CONCLUDED


                                   BY
                             LEWIS CARROLL

                     _WITH FORTY-SIX ILLUSTRATIONS
                                   BY
                             HARRY FURNISS_


                               _New York_
                           MACMILLAN AND CO.
                               AND LONDON
                                  1894
        _The Right of Translation and Reproduction is Reserved_


  Dreams, that elude the Waker’s frenzied grasp—
  Hands, stark and still, on a dead Mother’s breast,
  Which nevermore shall render clasp for clasp,
  Or deftly soothe a weeping Child to rest—
  In suchlike forms me listeth to portray
  My Tale, here ended. Thou delicious Fay—
  The guardian of a Sprite that lives to tease thee—
  Loving in earnest, chiding but in play
  The merry mocking Bruno! Who, that sees thee,
  Can fail to love thee, Darling, even as I?—
  My sweetest Sylvie, we must say ‘Good-bye!’




                                PREFACE.


I must begin with the same announcement as in the previous Volume (which
I shall henceforward refer to as “Vol. I.,” calling the present Volume
“Vol. II.”), viz. that the Locket, at p. 405, was drawn by ‘Miss Alice
Havers.’ And my reason, for not stating this on the title-page—that it
seems only due, to the artist of these wonderful pictures, that his name
should stand there alone—has, I think, even greater weight in Vol. II.
than it had in Vol. I. Let me call especial attention to the three
“Little Birds” borders, at pp. 365, 371, 377. The way, in which he has
managed to introduce the most minute details of the stanzas to be
illustrated, seems to me a triumph of artistic ingenuity.


Let me here express my sincere gratitude to the many Reviewers who have
noticed, whether favorably or unfavorably, the previous Volume. Their
unfavorable remarks were, most probably, well-deserved; the favorable
ones less probably so. Both kinds have no doubt served to make the book
known, and have helped the reading Public to form their opinions of it.
Let me also here assure them that it is not from any want of respect for
their criticisms, that I have carefully forborne from reading _any_ of
them. I am strongly of opinion that an author had far better _not_ read
any reviews of his books: the unfavorable ones are almost certain to
make him cross, and the favorable ones conceited; and _neither_ of these
results is desirable.

Criticisms have, however, reached me from private sources, to some of
which I propose to offer a reply.

One such critic complains that Arthur’s strictures, on sermons and on
choristers, are too severe. Let me say, in reply, that I do _not_ hold
myself responsible for _any_ of the opinions expressed by the characters
in my book. They are simply opinions which, it seemed to me, might
probably be held by the persons into whose mouths I put them, and which
were worth consideration.

Other critics have objected to certain innovations in spelling, such as
“ca’n’t,” “wo’n’t,” “traveler.” In reply, I can only plead my firm
conviction that the popular usage is _wrong_. As to “ca’n’t,” it will
not be disputed that, in all _other_ words ending in “n’t,” these
letters are an abbreviation of “not”; and it is surely absurd to suppose
that, in this solitary instance, “not” is represented by “’t”! In fact
“can’t” is the _proper_ abbreviation for “can it,” just as “is’t” is for
“is it.” Again, in “wo’n’t,” the first apostrophe is needed, because the
word “would” is here _abridged_ into “wo”: but I hold it proper to spell
“don’t” with only _one_ apostrophe, because the word “