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Saw this today in the paper.
On Sept. 21, 1897, The New York Sun published what was to becomethe most widely read letter to a newspaper. It was sent by 8-year-oldVirginia O'Hanlon, who lived with her parents in Manhattan. Below isthe full text of that letter and the reply by Sun editorial writerFrancis Pharcellus Church.
Dear Editor, I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so."
Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon
115 W. 95th St.
Virginia,your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by theskepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see.They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by theirlittle minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's,are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, anant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him,as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole truth andknowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Heexists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and youknow that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! Itwould be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be nochildlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable thisexistence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. Theeternal light with which childhood fills the world would beextinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might aswell not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men towatch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, buteven if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would thatprove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is noSanta Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neitherchildren nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn?Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody canconceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable inthe world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see whatmakes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen worldwhich not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all thestrongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy,poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picturethe supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, inall this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
NoSanta Claus! Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand yearsfrom now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10 thousand years from now, he willcontinue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Merry Christmas to you all.
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