Mark Twain: A Biography. Complete
CONTENTS
TO CLARA CLEMENS GABRILOWITSCH WHO STEADILY UPHELD THE AUTHOR'S PURPOSE TO WRITE HISTORY RATHER THAN EULOGY AS THE STORY OF HER FATHER'S LIFE
Dear William Dean Howells, Joseph Hopkins Twichell, Joseph T. Goodman, and other old friends of Mark Twain:
I cannot let these volumes go to press without some grateful word to you who have helped me during the six years and more that have gone to their making.
First, I want to confess how I have envied you your association with Mark Twain in those days when you and he “went gipsying, a long time ago.” Next, I want to express my wonder at your willingness to give me so unstintedly from your precious letters and memories, when it is in the nature of man to hoard such treasures, for himself and for those who follow him. And, lastly, I want to tell you that I do not envy you so much, any more, for in these chapters, one after another, through your grace, I have gone gipsying with you all. Neither do I wonder now, for I have come to know that out of your love for him grew that greater unselfishness (or divine selfishness, as he himself might have termed it), and that nothing short of the fullest you could do for his memory would have contented your hearts.
My gratitude is measureless; and it is world-wide, for there is no land so distant that it does not contain some one who has eagerly contributed to the story. Only, I seem so poorly able to put my thanks into words.
Albert Bigelow Paine.
Certain happenings as recorded in this work will be found to differ materially from the same incidents and episodes as set down in the writings of Mr. Clemens himself. Mark Twain's spirit was built of the very fabric of truth, so far as moral intent was concerned, but in his earlier autobiographical writings—and most of his earlier writings were autobiographical—he made no real pretense to accuracy of time, place, or circumstance—seeking, as he said, “only to tell a good story”—while in later years an ever-vivid imagination and a capricious memory made history difficult, even when, as in his so-called “Autobiography,” his effort was in the direction of fact.
Albert Bigelow Paine
MARK TWAIN A BIOGRAPHY
THE PERSONAL AND LITERARY LIFE OF SAMUEL LANGHORNE CLEMENS
VOLUME I. Part 1: 1835-1866
AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT
PREFATORY NOTE
MARK TWAIN—A BIOGRAPHY
I. ANCESTORS
II. THE FORTUNES OF JOHN AND JANE CLEMENS
III. A HUMBLE BIRTHPLACE
IV. BEGINNING A LONG JOURNEY
V. THE WAY OF FORTUNE
VI. A NEW HOME
VII. THE LITTLE TOWN OF HANNIBAL.
VIII. THE FARM
IX. SCHOOL-DAYS
X. EARLY VICISSITUDE AND SORROW
XI. DAYS OF EDUCATION
XII. TOM SAWYER'S BAND
XIII. THE GENTLER SIDE
XIV. THE PASSING OF JOHN CLEMENS
XV. A YOUNG BEN FRANKLIN
XVI. THE TURNING-POINT
XVII. THE HANNIBAL “JOURNAL”
XVIII. THE BEGINNING OF A LITERARY LIFE
XIX. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FRANKLIN
XX. KEOKUK DAYS
XXI. SCOTCHMAN NAMED MACFARLANE
XXII. THE OLD CALL OF THE RIVER
XXIII. THE SUPREME SCIENCE
XXIV. THE RIVER CURRICULUM
XXV. LOVE-MAKING AND ADVENTURE
XXVI. THE TRAGEDY OF THE “PENNSYLVANIA”
XXVII. THE PILOT
XXVIII. PILOTING AND PROPHECY
XXIX. THE END OF PILOTING
XXX. THE SOLDIER
XXXI. OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
XXXII. THE PIONEER
XXXIII. THE PROSPECTOR
XXXIV. TERRITORIAL CHARACTERISTICS
XXXV. THE MINER
XXXVI. LAST MINING DAYS
It was late in July when he wrote:
XXXVII. THE NEW ESTATE
XXXVIII. ONE OF THE “STAFF”
XXXIX. PHILOSOPHY AND POETRY
XL. “MARK TWAIN”
XLI. THE CREAM OF COMSTOCK HUMOR
XLII REPORTORIAL DAYS.
XLIII. ARTEMUS WARD
XLIV. GOVERNOR OF THE “THIRD HOUSE”
XLV. A COMSTOCK DUEL.
XLVI. GETTING SETTLED IN SAN FRANCISCO
XLVII. BOHEMIAN DAYS
XLVIII. THE REFUGE OF THE HILLS
XLIX. THE JUMPING FROG
L. BACK TO THE TUMULT
FROM the note-book:
LI. THE CORNER-STONE
LII. A COMMISSION TO THE SANDWICH ISLANDS
LIII. ANSON BURLINGAME AND THE “HORNET” DISASTER
VOLUME I, Part 2: 1866-1875
LIV. THE LECTURER
LV. HIGHWAY ROBBERY
LVI. BACK TO THE STATES
LVII. OLD FRIENDS AND NEW PLANS
LVIII. A NEW BOOK AND A LECTURE
LIX. THE FIRST BOOK
LX. THE INNOCENTS AT SEA
LXI. THE INNOCENTS ABROAD
LXII. THE RETURN OF THE PILGRIMS
The last note-book entry bears date of October 11th:
LXIII. IN WASHINGTON—A PUBLISHING PROPOSITION
LXIV. OLIVIA LANGDON
LXV. A CONTRACT WITH ELISHA BLISS, JR.
LXVI. BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO
LXVII. A VISIT TO ELMIRA
LXVIII. THE REV. “JOE” TWICHELL.
LXIX. A LECTURE TOUR
LXX. INNOCENTS AT HOME—AND “THE INNOCENTS ABROAD”
LXXI. THE GREAT BOOK OF TRAVEL.
LXXII.THE PURCHASE OF A PAPER.
LXXIII. THE FIRST MEETING WITH HOWELLS
LXXIV. THE WEDDING-DAY
LXXV. AS TO DESTINY
LXXVI. ON THE BUFFALO “EXPRESS”
LXXVII. THE “GALAXY”
LXXVIII. THE PRIMROSE PATH
LXXIX. THE OLD HUMAN STORY
LXXX. LITERARY PROJECTS
LXXXI. SOME FURTHER LITERARY MATTERS
LXXXII. THE WRITING OF “ROUGHING IT”
LXXXIII. LECTURING DAYS
LXXXIV. “ROUGHING IT”.
Telegram to Redpath:
LXXXV. A BIRTH, A DEATH, AND A VOYAGE
LXXXVI. ENGLAND
LXXXVII. THE BOOK THAT WAS NEVER WRITTEN
LXXXVIII. “THE GILDED AGE”
LXXXIX. PLANNING A NEW HOME
XC. A LONG ENGLISH HOLIDAY
XCI. A LONDON LECTURE
XCII. FURTHER LONDON LECTURE TRIUMPHS
XCIII. THE REAL COLONEL SELLERS-GOLDEN DAYS
XCIV. BEGINNING “TOM SAWYER”
XCV. AN “ATLANTIC” STORY AND A PLAY
XCVI. THE NEW HOME
XCVII. THE WALK TO BOSTON
XCVIII. “OLD TIMES ON THE MISSISSIPPI”
XCIX. A TYPEWRITER, AND A JOKE ON ALDRICH
C. RAYMOND, MENTAL TELEGRAPHY, ETC.
CI. CONCLUDING “TOM SAWYER”—MARK TWAIN's “EDITORS”
CII. “SKETCHES NEW AND OLD”
CIII. “ATLANTIC” DAYS
CIV. MARK TWAIN AND HIS WIFE
VOLUME II, Part 1: 1875-1886
CV. MARK TWAIN AT FORTY
In conversation with John Hay, Hay said to Clemens:
CVI. HIS FIRST STAGE APPEARANCE
CVII. HOWELLS, CLEMENS, AND “GEORGE”
CVIII. SUMMER LABORS AT QUARRY FARM
CIX. THE PUBLIC APPEARANCE OF “TOM SAWYER”
CX. MARK TWAIN AND BRET HARTE WRITE A PLAY
CXI. A BERMUDA HOLIDAY
CXII. A NEW PLAY AND A NEW TALE
CXIII. TWO DOMESTIC DRAMAS
CXIV. THE WHITTIER BIRTHDAY SPEECH
CXV. HARTFORD AND BILLIARDS
CXVI. OFF FOR GERMANY
CXVII. GERMANY AND GERMAN
From the note-book:
CXVIII. TRAMPING WITH TWICHELL.
CXIX. ITALIAN DAYS
CXX. IN MUNICH
CXXI. PARIS, ENGLAND, AND HOMEWARD BOUND
CXXII. AN INTERLUDE
CXXIII. THE GRANT SPEECH OF 1879
CXXIV. ANOTHER “ATLANTIC” SPEECH
CXXV. THE QUIETER THINGS OF HOME
CXXVI. “A TRAMP ABROAD”
CXXVII. LETTERS, TALES, AND PLANS
CXXVIII. MARK TWAIN's ABSENT-MINDEDNESS.
CXXIX. FURTHER AFFAIRS AT THE FARM
CXXX. COPYRIGHT AND OTHER FANCIES
CXXXI. WORKING FOR GARFIELD
CXXXII. A NEW PUBLISHER
It was near the end of the year that Clemens wrote to his mother:
CXXXIII. THE THREE FIRES—SOME BENEFACTIONS
CXXXIV. LITERARY PROJECTS AND A MONUMENT TO ADAM
CXXXV. A TRIP WITH SHERMAN AND AN INTERVIEW WITH GRANT.
CXXXVI. “THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER”
CXXXVII. CERTAIN ATTACKS AND REPRISALS
CXXXVIII. MANY UNDERTAKINGS
CXXXIX. FINANCIAL AND LITERARY
CXL. DOWN THE RIVER
CXLI. LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY
CXLII. “LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI”
CXLIII. A GUEST OF ROYALTY
CXLIV. A SUMMER LITERARY HARVEST
CXLV. HOWELLS AND CLEMENS WRITE A PLAY
Before Howells went abroad Clemens had written:
CXLVI. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
CXLVII. THE FORTUNES OF A PLAY
CXLVIII. CABLE AND HIS GREAT JOKE
CXLIX. MARK TWAIN IN BUSINESS
CL. FARM PICTURES
CLI. MARK TWAIN MUGWUMPS
CLII. PLATFORMING WITH CABLE
CLIII. HUCK FINN COMES INTO HIS OWN
CLIV. THE MEMOIRS OF GENERAL GRANT
CLV. DAYS WITH A DYING HERO
CLVI. THE CLOSE OF A GREAT CAREER
CLVII. MINOR MATTERS OF A GREAT YEAR
CLVIII. MARK TWAIN AT FIFTY
CLIX. THE LIFE OF THE POPE
CLX. A GREAT PUBLISHER AT HOME
CLXI. HISTORY: MAINLY BY SUSY
Suzy, in her biography, which she continued through this period, writes:
VOLUME II, Part 2: 1886-1900
CLXII. BROWNING, MEREDITH, AND MEISTERSCHAFT
CLXIII. LETTER TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND
CLXV. LETTERS, VISITS, AND VISITORS
CLVXVI. A “PLAYER” AND A MASTER OF ARTS
One morning early in January Clemens received the following note:
CLXVII. NOTES AND LITERARY MATTERS
CLXVIII. INTRODUCING NYE AND RILEY AND OTHERS
CLXIX. THE COMING OF KIPLING
CLXX. “THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER” ON THE STAGE
CLXXI. “A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT”
CLXXII. THE “YANKEE” IN ENGLAND
CLXXIII. A SUMMER AT ONTEORA
CLXXIV. THE MACHINE
CLXXV. “THE CLAIMANT”—LEAVING HARTFORD
CLXXVI. A EUROPEAN SUMMER
CLXXVII. KORNERSTRASSE,7
CLXXVIII. A WINTER IN BERLIN
CLXXIX. A DINNER WITH WILLIAM II.
CLXXX. MANY WANDERINGS
CLXXXI. NAUHEIM AND THE PRINCE OF WALES
CLXXXII. THE VILLA VIVIANI.
CLXXXIII. THE SIEUR DE CONTE AND JOAN
CLXXXIV. NEW HOPE IN THE MACHINE
CLXXXV. AN INTRODUCTION TO H. H. ROGERS
CLXXXVI. “THE BELLE OF NEW YORK”
CLXXXVII. SOME LITERARY MATTERS
CLXXXVIII. FAILURE
CLXXXIX. AN EVENTFUL YEAR ENDS
CXC. STARTING ON THE LONG TRAIL.
CXCI. CLEMENS HAD BEEN ILL IN ELMIRA WITH A CARBUNCLE
CXCII. “FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR”
CXCIII. THE PASSING OF SUSY
CXCIV. WINTER IN TEDWORTH SQUARE
CXCV. “PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF JOAN OF ARC”.
CXCVI. MR. ROGERS AND HELEN KELLER
CXCVII. FINISHING THE BOOK OF TRAVEL.
CXCVIII. A SUMMER IN SWITZERLAND
CXCIX. WINTER IN VIENNA
CC. MARK TWAIN PAYS HIS DEBTS
CCI. SOCIAL LIFE IN VIENNA
CCII. LITERARY WORK IN VIENNA
CCIII. AN IMPERIAL TRAGEDY
CCIV. THE SECOND WINTER IN VIENNA
CCV. SPEECHES THAT WERE NOT MADE
CCVI. A SUMMER IN SWEDEN
CCVII. 30, WELLINGTON COURT
CCVIII. MARK TWAIN AND THE WARS
CCIX. PLASMON, AND A NEW MAGAZINE
CCX. LONDON SOCIAL AFFAIRS
CCXI. DOLLIS HILL AND HOME
VOLUME III, Part 1: 1900-1907
CCXII. THE RETURN OF THE CONQUEROR
CCXIII. MARK TWAIN—GENERAL SPOKESMAN
CCXIV. MARK TWAIN AND THE MISSIONARIES
CCXV. SUMMER AT “THE LAIR”
CCXVI. RIVERDALE—A YALE DEGREE
CCXVII. MARK TWAIN IN POLITICS
CCXVIII. NEW INTERESTS AND INVESTMENTS
CCXIX. YACHTING AND THEOLOGY
CCXX. MARK TWAIN AND THE PHILIPPINES
CCXXI. THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE
CCXXII. A PROPHET HONORED IN HIS COUNTRY
CCXXIII. AT YORK HARBOR
CCXXIV. THE SIXTY-SEVENTH BIRTHDAY DINNER
CCXXV. CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CONTROVERSIES
CCXXVI. “WAS IT HEAVEN? OR HELL?”
CCXXVII. THE SECOND RIVERDALE WINTER
CCXXVIII. PROFFERED HONORS
CCXXXIX. THE LAST SUMMER AT ELMIRA
CCXXX. THE RETURN TO FLORENCE
From the note-book:
CCXXXI. THE CLOSE OF A BEAUTIFUL LIFE
CCXXXII. THE SAD JOURNEY HOME
CCXXXIII. BEGINNING ANOTHER HOME
CCXXXIV. LIFE AT 21 FIFTH AVENUE
CCXXXV. A SUMMER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
CCXXXVI. AT PIER 70
CCXXXVII. AFTERMATH
CCXXXVIII. THE WRITER MEETS MARK TWAIN
CCXXXIX. WORKING WITH MARK TWAIN
CCXL. THE DEFINITION OF A GENTLEMAN
CCXLI. GORKY, HOWELLS, AND MARK TWAIN
CCXLII. MARK TWAIN'S GOOD-BY TO THE PLATFORM
CCXLIII. AN INVESTMENT IN REDDING
CCXLIV. TRAITS AND PHILOSOPHIES
CCXLV. IN THE DAY'S ROUND
CCXLVI. THE SECOND SUMMER AT DUBLIN
CCXLVI. DUBLIN, CONTINUED
CCXLVIII. “WHAT IS MAN?” AND THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
CCXLIX. BILLIARDS
CCL. PHILOSOPHY AND PESSIMISM
In a letter to MacAlister, written at this time, he said:
CCLI. A LOBBYING EXPEDITION
CCLII. THEOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
CCLIII. AN EVENING WITH HELEN KELLER
CCLIV. BILLIARD-ROOM NOTES
CCLV. FURTHER PERSONALITIES
VOLUME III, Part 2: 1907-1910
CCLVI. HONORS FROM OXFORD
CCLVII. A TRUE ENGLISH WELCOME
CCLVIII. DOCTOR OF LITERATURE, OXFORD
CCLIX. LONDON SOCIAL HONORS
CCLX. MATTERS PSYCHIC AND OTHERWISE
CCLXI. MINOR EVENTS AND DIVERSIONS
CCLXII. FROM MARK TWAIN's MAIL.
CCLXIII. SOME LITERARY LUNCHEONS
CCLXIV. “CAPTAIN STORMFIELD” IN PRINT
CCLXV. LOTOS CLUB HONORS
CCLXVI. A WINTER IN BERMUDA
CCLXVII. VIEWS AND ADDRESSES
CCLXVIII. REDDING
CCLXIX. FIRST DAYS AT STORMFIELD
CCLXX. THE ALDRICH MEMORIAL.
CCLXXI. DEATH OF “SAM” MOFFETT
CCLXXII. STORMFIELD ADVENTURES
CCLXXIII. STORMFIELD PHILOSOPHIES
CCLXIV. CITIZEN AND FARMER
CCLXV. A MANTEL AND A BABY ELEPHANT
CCLXXVI. SHAKESPEARE-BACON TALK
CCLXXVII. “IS SHAKESPEARE DEAD?”
CCLXXVIII. THE DEATH OF HENRY ROGERS
CCLXXIX. AN EXTENSION OF COPYRIGHT
CCLXXX. A WARNING
CCLXXXI. THE LAST SUMMER AT STORMFIELD
CCLXXXII. PERSONAL MEMORANDA
CCLXXXIII. ASTRONOMY AND DREAMS
CCLXXXIV. A LIBRARY CONCERT
CCLXXXV. A WEDDING AT STORMFIELD
CCLXXXVI. AUTUMN DAYS
CCLXXVII. MARK TWAIN'S READING
CCLXXXVIII. A BERMUDA BIRTHDAY
CCLXXXIX. THE DEATH OF JEAN
CCXC. THE RETURN TO BERMUDA
CCXCI. LETTERS FROM BERMUDA
CCXCII. THE VOYAGE HOME
CCXCIII. THE RETURN TO THE INVISIBLE
CCXCIV. THE LAST RITES
CCXCV. MARK TWAIN'S RELIGION
CCXCVI. POSTSCRIPT
APPENDIX A
LETTER FROM ORION CLEMENS TO MISS WOOD CONCERNING HENRY CLEMENS
APPENDIX B
MARK TWAIN'S BURLESQUE OF CAPTAIN ISAIAH SELLERS
APPENDIX C.
APPENDIX D
FROM MARK TWAIN'S FIRST LECTURE, DELIVERED OCTOBER 2, 1866.
NOTICE OF MARK TWAIN'S LECTURE
“THE TROUBLE IS OVER”
APPENDIX E
III. FROM “A STRANGE DREAM”
(Example of Mark Twain's Early Descriptive Writing)
APPENDIX F
THE INNOCENTS ABROAD (See Chapter lx)
APPENDIX G
MARK TWAIN AT THE CORRESPONDENTS CLUB, WASHINGTON
APPENDIX H
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR LECTURE OF JULY 2, 1868
APPENDIX I. MARK TWAIN'S CHAMPIONSHIP OF THOMAS K. BEECHER
(See Chapter lxxiv)
APPENDIX J
APPENDIX K
A SUBSTITUTE FOR RULOFF HAVE WE A SIDNEY CARTON AMONG US?
APPENDIX L. ABOUT LONDON
APPENDIX M
APPENDIX N
MARK TWAIN AND COPYRIGHT
CIRCULAR TO AMERICAN AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS
II. Communications supposed to have been written by the Tsar of Russia
APPENDIX O
(See Chapter cxiv)
APPENDIX P
THE ADAM MONUMENT PETITION
APPENDIX Q
GENERAL GRANT'S GRAMMAR
APPENDIX R
PARTY ALLEGIANCE.
APPENDIX S
ORIGINAL PREFACE FOR “A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT”
APPENDIX T
A TRIBUTE TO HENRY H. ROGERS
APPENDIX U
FROM MARK TWAIN'S LAST POEM
APPENDIX W
LITTLE BESSIE WOULD ASSIST PROVIDENCE
Notes for the Jumping Frog story; Angel's Camp, February. Sketches etc.,