May 6.
My Dear Bro—
It is a model autobiography.
Continue to develop your own character in the same gradual, inconspicuous & apparently unconscious way. When Don’t The reader, up to this time, may have his doubts, perhaps, but he can’t even say decidedly, “This read writer is not such a simpleton as he has been letting on to be.” Keep him in that state of mind. If, when you shall have finished, the reader shall say, [MS page 2] “The man is an ass, but I really don’t know whether he knows it or not,” your work will be a triumph.
Stop re-writing. I saw places in your last batch where re-writing had done formidable injury. Do not try to find those places, else you will mar them further by trying to better them. It is perilous to revise a book while it is under way. All of us have injured our books in that foolish way.
Keep in mind what I told you—when you recollect [MS page 3] something which belonged in an earlier chapter, do not go back, but jam it in where you are. Discursiveness does not hurt an autobiography in the least.
I have penciled the MS here & there, but have not needed to make any criticisms or knock out anything.
The elder Bliss has heart disease badly, & henceforth his life hangs upon a thread.
I have written [in bottom margin: OVER] [MS page 4] Frank about the Keokuk agency.
Livy tolerably well; children hearty. All send love.
Yr Bro
Sam
[MS page 5] Orion Clemens, Esq | Keokuk | Iowa. [postmarked:] hartford conn. may 8 11am [MS page 6]
