Vol 3 Section 0665

Encyclopedia Britannica, New American Supplement, XXVI, p.195-6 included a largely biographical article, “Clemens, Samuel Langhorne,” concluding with a critical estimate: “Few humorists in the history of literature have drawn more closely to the popular heart, or played more subtly and powerfully upon the sense of the ludicrous inherent in human nature. Yet the finer sentiments of pathos and sympathy are no less awakened by the magic influence at Mr. Clemens’s command. There is, inwrought in his most convulsing extravaganzas, always a touch of intensely human experience, to which the most indifferent sensibilities are compelled to respond, and, while scorning to point a moral in the conventional manner, Mark Twain unconsciously reaches the depth of life and character in his philosophic laughter and the evident feeling he betrays” [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Second Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1978 p. 172].

The Brittannica also included an article by John Nichol, p.718-35, “American Literature” which called Twain the worst of Artemus Ward’s imitators. Fred Lewis Pattee provided comment as well in the supplement [Tenney 37].

William T. Stead’s, The Americanization of the World; Or, The Trend of the Twentieth Century was

published, originally as the Annual issue of The Review of Reviews. On p.105 “Mark Twain at Home,” photograph by Theo C. Marccan; p.110 describes Twain’s popularity and the good done by his humor [Tenney: “A Reference Guide Third Annual Supplement,” American Literary Realism, Autumn 1979 p. 188].

Chauncey M. Depew’s book The “Man in the Street”: Stories from the New York Times was published by J.S. Ogilvie, N.Y. Tenney: “This book of several hundred anecdotes contains several on MT. Their origins cannot be traced, but Senator Depew knew MT” [MTJ Bibliographic Issue Number Four 42:1 (Spring 2004) p.8]. Tenney’s original volume gives anecdote numbers 1, 87, 203, 208, 263, 344, 419, 492, and 596 about Twain [36].

Brander Matthews’ book, Aspects of Fiction, and Other Ventures in Criticism, p.54-6, focused on Mark Twain. Tenney: “Franklin, Lincoln, Canning, and Disraeli were taken less seriously than they deserved, and the same fate has befallen MT. Praises parts of TS, HF, PW, and MT’s storytelling and mastery of English prose in the highest terms. He is uneven, to be sure, and has written some poor things, but it is chiefly because of his humor that he is not ranked at his true value” [37].

Authors of our Day in Their Homes, by Francis W. Halsey (1902) includes description of Twain’s home at Riverdale-on-Hudson, Elmira, Quarry Farm, Buffalo, and Hartford [MTJ Bibliographic Issue Number Four 42:1 (Spring

2004) p.8].

American Literature, a textbook, included a section on Mark Twain, p.469-72. Tenney: “Sees MT as essentially a humorist and decries his supposed vulgarity, though praising his clear vision and ‘clean-cut, effective expression.’ TS and HF are ‘astonishingly clever studies of the American bad boy,’ and LM is his ‘best autobiographical narrative’” [36].

     Study of Prose Fiction by Perry Bliss included the following on p. 338-9: Tenney: “‘American fiction-writers who have won a secure place in the world’s literature.’ One might also consider ‘Bret Harte…Mark Twain, Howells, Aldrich, Stockton, James, Cable, Crawford, and many another living writer of admirable craftsmanship and honorable rank. But I suppose that there are few critics who would deliberately select among these later men a fourth to be placed in equality of universal recognition with that great trio who more than a century ago were in the fullness of their power’” [37].

Paine writes of a few “investments” of Sam’s during 1902:

He put another “usual sum” about this time in a patent cash register which was acknowledged to be “a promise rather than a performance,” and remains so to this day.

He capitalized a patent spiral hat- pin, warranted to hold the hat on in any weather, and he had a number of the pins handsomely made to present to visitors of the sex naturally requiring that sort of adornment and protection. It was a pretty ingenious device and apparently effective enough, though it failed to secure his invested thousands.

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