The original autograph manuscript for the preface to 'The Christopher Robin Verses', the new book combining the poems from When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. Five pages, approx 1200 words. This is a fair copy with one or two minor corrections, but is exactly as printed in the book. Signed in pencil to the upper cover, "A.A. Milne, 13 Mallard Street, SW3." There is a rust mark from staples to the upper corner and very slight edge wear, but the manuscript is in excellent condition.

In 1931 Milne describes his writing process, "pencil drafts are all thrown away. I write in pencil, then in ink, and then have it typed." He says that he made few revisions, particularly when writing plays "because, I have already said every speech over and over to myself before it goes down on paper."
This manuscript is written fluently and with only minor revisions and is exactly as it appears in the first edition of the Christopher Robin Verses, a book which combines his two books of children's verse.
"It was always probable" he writes, "that, sooner or later, the two books of verse which I had written for and about children would come together within the covers of one volume; so that the publisher's demand a preface and a title for this volume cannot be said to have taken me by surprise... All I can think of is 'The Christopher Robin Verses'... 'The Shepard Drawings' might have suggested (not unpleasantly to some, it may be) that the artist was having the book to himself. In a sense, of course, he is, for it is his new coloured illustrations which justify it."
Milne goes on to offer remarks about the presentation of children in fiction which he deems to be over sentimental. He avoids sentimentality through his use of humour, describing children as charming, but heartless and egocentric, for example when James James Morrison's Mother goes missing he "Told his other relations not to go blaming him" and when Christopher Robin went to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace his question to Alice was, "Do you think the King knows all about Me?"
Original manuscripts relating to Milne's iconic Winnie the Pooh books are very rarely available in commerce. This manuscript is offered for the first time having been kept by Milne's publisher (and by descent) since it was written.

PROVENANCE: Frederick Muller (Milne's publisher at Methuen); Leslie Smith (who inherited the running of Muller's publishing company); by family descent.

Stock ID: 45960