Vol 3 Section 0265
though he be, “Mark Twain” is one of the greatest living masters of the English language.’ (Apparently this may have appeared previously in Pall Mall Gazette or Pall Mall Magazine, according to a note on p. vii.)” [30].
Thomas Wentworth Higginson ’s Cheerful Yesterdays (Houghton, Mifflin) p. 284-5. Tenney: “Visiting Darwin, in 1872, learned of his ‘hearty enjoyment of Mark Twain, who had then hardly begun to be regarded as above the Josh Billings grade of humorist; but Darwin was amazed that I had not read “The Jumping Frog,” and said that he always kept it by his bedside for midnight amusement.’” [30]. Note: Higginson (1823-1911); see entries Vol. I & II.
Rudyard Kipling in his From Sea to Sea: Letters of Travel reprinted “An Interview with Mark Twain,” which originally ran in The Pioneer Mar. 18 1890. See also Tenney 31; MTCI 117-26, uses the NY Herald reprint of Aug. 17, 1890, as “Rudyard Kipling on Mark Twain.”
Will M. Clemens’ book, A Ken of Kipling. Being a Biographical Sketch of Rudyard Kipling, With an Appreciation and Some Anecdotes, included on p.109- 137, “Kipling and Mark Twain,” a brief headnote with a reprint of Kipling’s “An Interview with Mark Twain” from the N.Y. Herald of Aug. 17, 1890
[Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 186]. Note: See Sam’s opinion of Will Clemens in Gribben p.147 or June 13, 1900 to Rogers.
Marshall P. Wilder’s book, The People I’ve Smiled With: Recollections of a Merry Little Life, Akron, Ohio, included on p.194-9 a quote of Mark Twain’s speech at the 100th-night dinner of The Taming of the
Shrew [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 186]. Note:
the 100th night bash was Apr. 13, 1887. See entry.
January – Edwin Wildman’s article “Mark Twain’s Pets,” ran in St. Nicholas Magazine, p.185-8. Tenney: “Describes a visit to MT’s study at Elmira, New York, by E.M. Van Aken, to take pictures of his cats. Two photographs are here reproduced, together with one of the ‘Quarry Farm’ house, and there are engravings of the outside of MT’s octagonal study (here called the ‘Pilot House’; it is covered with vines) and of MT at work inside (‘Drawn from a photograph by E.M. Van Aken’). There is also the text of an undated note from MT in Hartford, to serve as an obituary to the cats” [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Fourth Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1977 p. 332].
January 1 Sunday – At the Hotel Krantz in Vienna, Austria, Sam’s notebook:
NEW-YEAR, 1899. Note from
Schelsinger [not extant], asking another month’s delay. … He would like me
to promise the use of my name in advance, I think, & unconditionally.
It will be a marvel if he produces a play which I can work into a shape which will satisfy me, after all his delays. I shan’t allow my name to be used in connection with it unless it shall in all ways warrant the risk [NB 40 TS 52-3].
Sam wrote to Siegmund Schlesinger, with whom he was collaborating on two comedy plays. Evidently Sigmund had asked for a delay.
“If you can delay it till April or May—that will be still more convenient for me; for I am now deep in work which I cannot very well interrupt before that time” [MTP].
About this day Sam also wrote to Frank Bliss, concerning Brander Matthews’ writing the Introduction for the Uniform Edition:
“I told you Brander would do it well, Bliss. No one can beat his Introduction. It is as clear & compact & felicitous a piece of work as any man might wish to see. You did yourself proud when you succeeded in laying his pen under contribution” [MTP].
January 2 Monday
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.