Mark Twain Project :: Letters :: : an electronic text

To Lucius Fairchild
28 April 1880 • Hartford, Conn.
(Clemens 1932, pp. 47–48; and sales catalog:
Union Art Galleries, 9 April 1935, no. 39, lot 65, UCCL 01794)

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[Hartford, Apr. 28/80.]

[Dear General:]

For this long time I have been intending to congratulate you fervently upon your translation [to——to——anywhere——]for anywhere is better than Paris. Paris the cold, Paris the drizzly, Paris the rainy, Paris the [Damnable]. More [than] a hundred years [ago,] somebody asked Quin, “Did you ever [ see ] such a winter in all your life before?” “Yes,” said he, “[last] summer.” I judge he spent his summer in Paris. Let us change the proverb; [let] us say all bad Americans go to Paris when they die. No, let us [ not ] say [it;] for this adds a new horror to [immortality].

Mrs. Clemens [&] the children paid their first visit to Boston the other [day,] [&] I went along, by request. Your brother [&] his wife called on us, [&] we missed them, for we were out raiding the old junk-shops for disabled andirons [&] other antiquities. Then we called at their [residence,] [&] there was another failure; Mr. Fairchild was [out,] [&] Mrs. do. was doctoring three or four of her [children] [&] her nurse had deserted her. So we missed fire all around, [&] did not get to see each other; on our side we were heartily sorry.

We spent a day [&] a night at Belmont with [Howells], [&] we all made an assault on your brother’s house [&] tried to get in [&] have a look at his [things,] but the genius of ill luck was to the fore again, the carpenters [&] other repairers had gone off with the keys. The Howellses [&] Fairchildses are [most] nobly situated out there. They have woods [&] grass [&] fresh air [&] tranquillity, [&] a view which they will miss when they are in heaven.

Miss Clara Spaulding is well [&] happy; she has sent us the photograph, [&] it is certainly one of the best [&] consequently handsomest likenesses I ever saw. We keep it in a prominent place [&] tell strangers it is me when I was young. The [best picture I have had yet is the steel frontispiece to my new book.] I mean to [enclose] one in this.

Mrs. Clemens sends her warmest [regards,—]I also. Well, what good times we had that day at St. [Cloud,] [&] what a lively gang of young people we [were!—we] hold Mrs. Fairchild [&] the young ladies in grateful remembrance for that holiday.

Good luck to you!

Ever [yours]

S. L. [Clemens].

[enclosure:]

Textual Commentary

Editorial Signs

Description of Texts and Provenance

Source text(s):

No copy-text. The text is based on two printed sources, each of which derives independently from the MS.

P1	Clemens 1932, 47–48
P2	Union Art Galleries catalog, 9 April 1935, no. 39, lot 65

glyph Provenance:The MS was offered for sale by Union Art Galleries in 1935.

glyph Emendations, adopted readings, and textual notes:

Hartford, Apr. 28/80. (P1) • April 28/80. [reported, not quoted] (P2)

Dear General: (P1) • To General (Fairchild). [reported, not quoted] (P2)

to——to——anywhere—— (P2) • to—to—anywhere— (P1)

Damnable (P2) • damnable (P1)

than (P2) • then (P1)

ago, (P2) • ago (P1)

see (P1) • see (P2)

last (P2) • Last (P1)

let (P2) • Let (P1)

not (P1) • NOT (P2)

it; (P2) • it (P1)

immortality (P2) • Immortality (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

day, (P2) • day (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

residence, (P2) • residence (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

out, (P2) • out (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

children (P2) • children, (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

Howells (P1) • HOWELLS (P2)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

things, (P2) • things; (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

most (P1) • mostly (P2)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

best picture I have had yet is the steel frontispiece to my new book. (MTP) • Best Picture I Have Had Yet Is the Steel Frontispiece To My New Book (“A Tramp Abroad”). (P2); best picture I have had yet is the steel frontispiece to my new book.* | A Tramp Abroad, 1880. (P1)

enclose (P2) • inclose (P1)

regards,— (P2) • regards— (P1)

Cloud, (P2) • Cloud (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

were!—we (P2) • were! We (P1)

& (MTP) • and (P1, P2)

yours (P1) • yours, (P2)

Clemens (P2) • Clemens (P1)