To Elisha Bliss, Jr.
15 April 1869 • Elmira, N.Y.
(MS: CtY-BR, UCCL 00283)

Elmira, Thursday, 1869.

Friend Bliss—

Yes, on page 233 [it ] ought to be “forgot it in France”—as you suggest.

Sometimes it should be “St Peter” & sometimes “St. Peter’s.” I have made the correction.1

Well, I am sure I hope we shall [ made make ] a big campaign with the [book. It ] is a readable book, I know—because I wrote it myself. And it is going to be a mighty handsome book—as your letter-press & pictures show, plainly enough.

I begin to be afraid that I have given you MSS enough for about a million pages.

Yrs in a hurry

Mark.

[letter docketed:]

Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

Click to add citation to My Citations.

1 Clemens was returning the proofs of chapters 23–27 (pages 228–97), which he had probably received on Monday, 12 April. Bliss had called his attention to the omitted “it” in chapter 23 (page 233), and to a possible inconsistency in chapter 26 (pages 271–75), where he initially referred to the “Church of St. Peter” but afterward called it simply “St. Peter’s.” The particular correction is unidentifiable since neither the printer’s copy nor the proofs is known to survive.

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

MS, Willard S. Morse Collection, Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (CtY-BR).

Previous publication: L3, 194–195; MTMF, 93, brief quotation.

Provenance:donated to CtY in 1942 by Walter F. Frear.

Emendations and textual notes:

it • [doubtful ‘i◇t’; partly formed letter]

made make • mad ke

book. It • book.— |It