There are three important 150th anniversaries related to “The Hunting of the Snark”:
- 18 July 2024: Conception
- On 18 July 1874, the very last line of Carroll’s Snark tragicomedy came into his head while out on a walk at Guildford: “For the Snark was a Boojum, you see” .
- The first stanza was composed on 22 July 1874. “In the midst of the word…” which stands as the last verse of the poem.
- 25 October 2025: Naming
- On 25 October 1875, Carroll decided to use “The Hunting of the Snark” as the title of his Snark tragicomedy (which in Henry Holiday’s view started out as a tragedy).
- 1 April 2026: Birth
- On 29 March 1876 at Macmillan, Carroll prepared 80 presentation copies for family and friends. (As far as I understand, these copies contained an additional poem: the Easter Greeting.)
- On 1 April 1876, Macmillan officially published the poem with Henry Holiday’s illustrations.
There are more Snark related entries in Carroll’s notes.
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