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Add to My CitationsTo Lewis Sergeant, and
To Charles E. Seth-Smith
per Samuel C. Thompson
25 June 1873 • London, England
(Stenographic draft: CU-MARK, UCCL 00935)
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[L. L. Sergn: ]
em spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem spaceem space [Th Lagh ]hotel [June 25 ]

My dear sir,

I shall be very glad [indeed ]to [renew ]the acquaintance. I am [usully ]at home about [noon], but after that, like everybody else in London I am [uncertain]. With many [thanks ]for your [form kindnesses ]to me, I am yours very [sincerly].

[Lewis Sergeant Esq.]
em space [Chas. E. Seth Smith Esq.] 1

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

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1 Thompson added Seth-Smith’s name when, presumably as an afterthought, Clemens decided that he, as well as Sergeant, should receive a fair copy of this dictated response. Lewis Sergeant (1841–1902) was educated at Cambridge. After working as a schoolmaster he became an editor, and was long associated with the Athenaeum and the London Chronicle. He wrote several books, among them Introduction to English Composition (1872) and Elementary Mathematics in Connection with Science and Art Departments (1873). Nothing has been learned about Sergeant’s introduction to Clemens in 1872, except that as secretary of the Anti-Game-Law League he edited the society’s circular, a copy of which Clemens acquired during his 1872 visit to England (CU-MARK). They clearly did renew their acquaintance in 1873, however, for in December, Sergeant, who was then editor of the London Examiner, wrote to Ambrose Bierce that he had obtained his

name & address through Mr Samuel L. Clemens. I desire to have for the Examiner a few articles on contemporary American literature, comprehending as much as possible of the whole field of printed literature; & Mr Clemens thought it possible that you might be willing to do it for me. (8 Dec 73, CtY-BR, in Grenander 1978, 469)

Bierce declined the request. In 1878 Sergeant published New Greece and became honorary secretary for the Greek committee in London, serving until his death. No record has been found, beyond this draft, of Clemens’s acquaintance with Charles E. Seth-Smith (1847–94). In 1876 Seth-Smith was made a sublieutenant in the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers, and from 1884 to 1892 was a lieutenant in command of the London corps. He became a barrister in 1887 and practiced in admiralty court. It is possible that Clemens’s prior encounter with him was as recent as 23 June in Portsmouth, at the naval review organized for the shah (BBA, s.v. “Sergeant, Lewis” Griffiths, 513; Boase, 3:496; SLC 1873).



glyphglyphSource text(s):glyph
Dictation recorded by Samuel C. Thompson in his stenographic notebook, Mark Twain Papers, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley (CU-MARK).

glyphglyphPrevious publication:glyph L5, 390; N&J1, 546.

glyphglyphProvenance:glyphThompson’s notebook was purchased by CU-MARK in 1958 from Dawson’s Book Shop (Los Angeles).

glyphglyphEmendations and textual notes:glyph


L. L. Sergn: • [longhand]

Th Lagh • [longhand]

June 25 • [longhand]

indeed • int indeed [corrected miswriting of shorthand symbol]

renew • r renew [longhand]

usully • [longhand]

noon • [longhand]

uncertain • [longhand]

thanks • [longhand]

form kindnesses • [longhand]

sincerly • [longhand]

Lewis Sergeant Esq. • Lou Lewis Sergeant Esq. [longhand; written at bottom of first page following ‘home’ (390.5)]

Chas. E. Seth Smith Esq. • [longhand]