The life and letters of Lewis Carroll by Stuart Dodgson CollingwoodThe
Dodgsons appear to have been for a long time connected with the north of
England, and until quite recently a branch of the family resided at
Stubb Hall, near Barnard Castle. In the early part of the last century a
certain Rev. Christopher Dodgson held a living in Yorkshire. His son,
Charles, also took Holy Orders, and was for some time tutor to a son of
the then Duke of Northumberland. In 1762 his patron presented him to the
living of Elsdon, in Northumberland, by no means a desirable cure, as
Mr. Dodgson discovered. The following extracts from his letters to
various members of the Percy family are interesting as giving some idea
of the life of a rural clergyman a hundred years ago: I am obliged to
you for promising to write to me, but don't give yourself the trouble of
writing to this place, for 'tis almost impossible to receive 'em,
without sendinga messenger 16 miles to fetch 'em. 'Tis impossible to
describe the oddity of my situation at present, which, however, is not
void of some pleasant circumstances. A clogmaker combs out my wig upon
my curate's head, by way of a block, and his wife powders it with a
dredging-box. The vestibule of the castle (used as a temporary
parsonage) is a low stable above it the kitchen, in which are two little
beds joining to each other. The curate and his wife lay in one, and
Margery the maid in the other. I lay in the parlour between two beds to
keep me from being frozen to death, for as we keep open house the winds
enter from every quarter, and are apt to sweep into bed to me. Elsdon
was once a market town as some say, and a city according to others but
as the annals of the parish were lost several centuries ago, it is
impossible to determine what age it was either the one or the other.
There are not the least traces of the former grandeur to be found,
whence some antiquaries are apt to believe that it lost both its trade
and charter at the Deluge. ... There is a very good understanding
between the parties [he is speaking of the Churchmen and Presbyterians
who lived in the parish], for they not only intermarry with one
another, but frequently do penance together in a white sheet, with a
white wand, barefoot, and in the coldest season of the year. I have not
finished the description for fear of bringing on a fit of the ague.
Indeed, the ideas of sensation are sufficient to starve a man to death,
without having recourse to those of reflection.
