Boston Dec. 29th 1877.
My dear Mr. Clemens,
I have just read your letter and it grieves me to see that you are seriously troubled about what seems to me a trifling matter. It never occurred to me for a moment to take offence, or to feel wounded by your playful use of my name. I have not seen Emerson or Longfellow since the dinner and cannot say whether they were more sensitive than I was or not. I have heard some mild questioning as to whether even in fun it was in good taste to associate the names of the authors with the absurdly unlike personalities attributed to them, but it seemed to be an open question. Two of my friends, gentlemen of education and the highest social standing were infinitely amused by your sketch and stoutly defended it against the charge of impropriety. More than this, one of the cleverest and best known ladies we have among us was highly delighted with it. The idea was a very amusing one and with a little less of broad farce about it might have pleased everybody as it ‸did‸ so many. Any man who knows your bonhommie and evident kindness of disposition would never think of supposing you meant to strike anything with the heat-lightning of your wit and humour.
Don’t think too much of this, my dear Mr. Clemens, nor let wife or babe fret under the feeling that you have said anything to be harshly remembered against you. The world owes you too large a debt for the infinite pleasure and amusement you have furnished to both hemispheres to quarrel with you because your invention has for once led you a little farther than what some would consider the proper limit of its excursions.
With the same cordial regards as always, I am
Faithfully yours
O. W. Holmes.
