Vol 3 Section 0315

James Bryce wrote from Portland Place, London to invite Sam and Livy to lunch on the following Tuesday, June 20 at 1:45. Bryce offered that his wife was half American [MTP]. Note: See June 20 NB entry.

June 15 Thursday – For a little joke, Sam sent his daughter Clara at least four picture -postcards (that many survive) of the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and The Guildhall. He wrote the following “lessons” on them respectively, with fanciful signatures:

No, Oom Paul has never been the head of the Irish party. You are mistaking him for the late Mr. Parnell / Faithfully Yours / H. Campbell-Bannerman.

No—strawberries do not grow at the Pole, nor anywhere near it. See my book. / Truly Yours / Nansen.

No-No—Africa is not in the Sandwich Islands. I could not have said such a thing. Examine the map. / Sincerely Yours / Henry M. Stanley.

It is clearly an error. It was not Elizabeth who flourished in Shakespeare’s time, it was Shakespeare who flourished in Elizabeth’s time. / Very Truly Yours / Wm. H. Lecky [MTP]. Note: these may have been in response to some faux paus Clara committed.

Sam’s notebook: “Thursday 15. Stoker 1.45 pm? Gillette, 6.15 Savoy” [NB 40 TS 56].

Note: See Livy’s June 17 note of thanks for this Thursday get together at Bram Stoker’s.

In the 1906 Personal Reminiscences of Henry Irving by Bram Stoker there was a reference to this dinner which included Sam and family, p. 166, 324. Tenney: “MT was a guest at a supper with Sarah Bernhardt one night in 1899 when she was playing Hamlet at the Adelphi; F.P. [Finley Peter] Dunne was also present. Among those listed as having dined with Irving are ‘S.L. Clemens (“Mark Twain”)’ and ‘Mrs. and Misses S.L. Clemens’”

           Note: Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) performed Hamlet sixteen times (June 12 to 24), a very short run, at the Adelphi Theatre. London critics were prejudiced against a female Hamlet, though Parisians had been enthusiastic [Shudofsky 293].

June 16 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Friday, 16. Whitefriars. Dinner. & luncheon with Choate at 2” [NB 40 TS 56].

Note: the New York Times, June 17, p.6, ran the following:

DINNER TO MARK TWAIN

Friendly Feeling Between England and America the Keynote of Speeches at the Hotel Cecil, London.

LONDON, June 16.—The dinner given by the Whitefriars Club to Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) this evening at the Hotel Cecil was a remarkable tribute to the author, and at the same time to the friendly relations existing between Great Britain and the United States.

Each of the speakers, among whom were the Very Rev. S. Reynolds Hole, Dean of Norwich; United States Senator-elect Chauncey M. Depew, and Poultney Bigelow, dwelt upon this theme.

Mr. Bigelow presided, the guest of the evening being on his left and Mrs. Clemens on his right. The company included Max O’Rell (Paul Blouet,) Robert Barr, the Misses Clemens, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Parker, T.P. O’Connor, Member of Parliament for the Scotland

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.