Hartford, Jan. 24.
Dr Redpath—
I am already booked for Mhercantile Library, Steinway Hall Feb. 5th & 10th, Brooklyn Academy 7th & Jersey City 8th—Sandwich Islands—the old lecture a little bit altered, & (I think) a little bit improved. Shall close it seriously instead of with a joke—which I know is the best way, but I have never had pluck enough to do it, heretofore. It used to win in San Francisco, where I wasn’t afraid.1
Just had a letter saying the Mercantile understand (in effect) that the term “gross proceeds” signifies “net proceeds.” Rather thin, isn’t it? My telegram in reply will make my understanding of the phrase tolerably plain.2 I was [indignant], at first, but now it seems too conflagrationally funny (coming from some 1500 or 3,000 business men, clerks, &c.,[)] for anger.
I hated to decline Pugh’s offer; ([ not, entirel ] didn’t do it entirely because this lecture was old, there, for that’s no excuse in so large a city,)—but it really wouldn’t pay me to go anywhere for $400.3 I am very sorry I engaged to talk in N. Y.—it costs me valuable time—time worth more money than they can put into their houses. Am glad I shall see you if you stay there till Feb. 10.4
Ys Ever
Mark.
[letter docketed:] Clemens S. L. | Hartford | Jan. 24 ’73.
Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
The land I have tried to tell you about lies out
there in the midst of the watery wilderness, in the very heart of
the almost soilless solitudes of the Pacific. It is a dreamy,
beautiful, charming land. I wish I could make you comprehend how
beautiful it is. It is a land that seems ever so vague and fairy
like when one reads about it in books, peopled with a gentle,
indolent, careless race. It is Sunday land. The land of indolence and
dreams, where the air is drowsy and things tend to repose and peace,
and to the emancipation from labor, and turmoil, and weariness, and
anxiety of life. (“Mark Twain,” Brooklyn Eagle, 10 Feb 73, 4) For reviews of Clemens’s lectures, see pp. 295–96;
a composite lecture text may be found in Fatout 1976, 4–15 (L1, 344 n. 1, 361–67, 372–73; L2, 40–44, 213 n. 4, 217 n. 1; L3, 375–442).
kept back $700 he ought to have had
from his two lectures in Steinway Hall last winter. There were 2000
or 2500 people at each lecture. He was to have had half and they
were to pay all expenses. The tickets were a dollar and they paid
him $1300 for the two lectures. Now they want him to
lecture again and he wants to tell them they are thieves. (OC to
MEC, 3 Nov 73, CU-MARK) Although reserved seats were one dollar, an unknown number of unreserved
seats had cost only seventy-five cents (New York Tribune: “Lectures and Meetings,” 4 Feb
73, 7; “Of course ...,” 5 Feb 73, 4).
Source text(s):Previous publication:
L5, 280–281; AAA 1924, lot 215, brief excerpt.
Provenance:The MS was offered for sale in 1924 as part of the collection of businessman
William F. Gable (1856–1921). It later belonged to educator and
Baptist clergyman Alfred Williams Anthony (1860–1939), whose
collection NN probably acquired after his death.
Emendations and textual notes:
indignant • indigmnant
not, entirel • [‘l’ partly formed]
