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Add to My Citations To Moncure D. Conway
6 October 1872 • London, England
(MS: NNC, UCCL 00821)
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The Langham, Oct. 6.

My Dear Sir:

It is with sincere regret that I lose the opportunity of going with you to Stratford & enjoying the hospitality of Mr. Flower, s, so kindly [offered]; but one engagement is piled on top of another to that degree that I find myself in inextricable fetters for some weeks to come—not a day clear., that I can see from this till the hour I expect to sail. I have delayed answering your note, in the hope that I might manage to shake myself free in some way, but without avail. I hope you will thank Mr. Flower heartily for me, & in return may your Stratford sojourn be as pleasant as I know that mine would have been.1

Ys faithfully

Sam. L. Clemens.


Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

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1 The invitation to visit Stratford-upon-Avon apparently came, through Conway, from Edward Fordham Flower (1805–83), a prosperous retired brewery owner. Flower started the family business in 1832 and retired in 1862. He had served four times as mayor of Stratford-upon-Avon, most recently in 1864. He and his wife, the former Celina Greaves (1805?–84), enjoyed entertaining Americans at their residence, the Hill, built in 1855 (Boase, 1:1071). Clemens and Olivia were able to make the Stratford visit in 1873, although their host then was Flower’s eldest son, Charles E. Flower (14 July 73 to Flower).



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MS, Conway Papers, Columbia University (NNC).

glyphglyphPrevious publication:glyph L5, 195–196.

glyphglyphProvenance:glyphThe Conway Papers were acquired by NNC sometime after Conway’s death in 1907.

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offered • offerded