PETER PAN AND ALICE
blasphemous for anyone to attempt to prepare alternatives. As soon as it became clear, however, that a spate of new illustrated editions was being planned to follow the expiry of the original copyright (in fact, at least seven appeared in England in the first possible year, 1907), it was surely not to be regretted that an artist of Rackham’s quality had taken up the challenge. Even The Times, in the course of an unfavourable review, recognized that Rackham ‘feels his privilege and his responsibilities’, but this critic, obsessed by Tenniel, found Rackham’s humour ‘forced and derivative’ and discovered ‘few signs of true imaginative instinct’ in his work. A stranger wrote at once to sympathize: ‘I felt I must express my indignation at the injustice of the “Times” criticism. However, I am certain that Time is on your side, and that nothing but prejudice prevents your superiority being recognised now. Your delightful Alice is alive and makes by contrast Tenniel’s Alice look a stiff wooden puppet.’
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‘I’ll fetch you ladies a chair apiece’ … The quintessence of all charwomanhood. W.B., 1894.
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