Michael, you must be an English teacher to actually come across a reference to Carroll's masterpiece. I don't think that has EVER happened to me! ;-)

Perfectly understandable, though, since hatters were driven mad by Mercury fumes, and hares in March behave madly, randy little sods.

And, as an aside, a masterpiece was never a 'best' work, but the piece that an apprentice made to prove to the examining craftsmen that he was fit to join their number, to be a craftsman himself.