1 Frank Luther Mott, who saw the original of this letter, reported that it was “dated February 9 [1870]” and addressed to William Conant Church (1836–1917), co-founder and editor of the Galaxy magazine, and a brevet lieutenant colonel during the Civil War. Mott believed that William was also the “Friend Church” whom Clemens addressed in letters of 22 February 1868, and 11 March, 18 October, and 23 December 1870 (Mott 1957, 364, 366–68). Although Mott may have been right about the 1868 letter (L2, 200–201), no replies from William are known to survive. His younger brother, and his co-founder and co-editor, Francis Pharcellus Church (1839–1906), signed all of the extant letters to Clemens about his Galaxy work (26 Apr 70 to 13 June 71, CU-MARK). The evidence, therefore, is that Clemens wrote exclusively to him during that period. In the present letter Clemens seems to have replied to an inquiry about his willingness to write for the Galaxy, perhaps on an extended or exclusive basis. Within a few weeks he had virtually agreed to do so: see 11 Mar 70 to Church.