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me。
CI
CONCLUDING 〃TOM SAWYER〃MARK TWAIN's 〃EDITORS〃
Meantime the 〃inspiration tank；〃 as Clemens sometimes called it； had
filled up again。 He had received from somewhere new afflatus for the
story of Tom and Huck； and was working on it steadily。 The family
remained in Hartford； and early in July； under full head of steam； he
brought the story to a close。 On the 5th he wrote Howells：
I have finished the story and didn't take the chap beyond boyhood。
I believe it would be fatal to do it in any shape but
autobiographically； like Gil Blas。 I perhaps made a mistake in not
writing it in the first person。 If I went on now； and took him into
manhood； he would just lie； like all the one…horse men in
literature； and the reader would conceive a hearty contempt for him。
It is not a boy's book at all。 It will only be read by adults。 It
is only written for adults。
He would like to see the story in the Atlantic； he said； but doubted the
wisdom of serialization。
〃By and by I shall take a boy of twelve and run him through life （in the
first person）； but not Tam Sawyer； he would not make a good character for
it。〃 From which we get the first glimpse of Huck's later adventures。
Of course he wanted Howells to look at the story。 It was a tremendous
favor to ask； he said； and added； 〃But I know of no other person whose
judgment I could venture to take； fully and entirely。 Don't hesitate to
say no； for I know how your time is taxed； and I would have honest need
to blush if you said yes。〃
〃Send on your MS。；〃 wrote Howells。 〃You've no idea what I may ask you to
do for me some day。〃
But Clemens； conscience…stricken； 〃blushed and weakened；〃 as he said。
When Howells insisted； he wrote：
But I will gladly send it to you if you will do as follows：
dramatize it； if you perceive that you can； and take； for your
remuneration； half of the first 6；000 which I receive for its
representation on the stage。 You could alter the plot entirely if
you chose。 I could help in the work most cheerfully after you had
arranged the plot。 I have my eye upon two young girls who can play
Tom and Huck。
Howells in his reply urged。 Clemens to do the playwriting himself。 He
could never find time； he said； and he doubted whether he could enter
into the spirit of another man's story。 Clemens did begin a
dramatization then or a little later； but it was not completed。 Mrs。
Clemens； to whom he had read the story as it proceeded； was as anxious as
her husband for Howells's opinion； for it was the first extended piece of
fiction Mark Twain had undertaken alone。 He carried the manuscript over
to Boston himself； and whatever their doubts may have been； Howells's
subsequent letter set them at rest。 He wrote that he had sat up till one
in the morning to get to the end of it； simply because it was impossible
to leave off。
It is altogether the best boy story I ever read。 It will be an immense
success； but I think you ought to treat it explicitly as a boy's story；
grown…ups will enjoy it just as much if you do； and if you should put it
forth as a story of boys' character from the grown…up point of view you
give the wrong key to it。
Viewed in the light of later events； there has never been any better
literary opinion than thatnone that has been more fully justified。
Clemens was delighted。 He wrote concerning a point here and there； one
inquiry referring to the use of a certain strong word。 Howells's reply
left no doubt：
I'd have that swearing out in an instant。 I suppose I didn't notice
it because the location was so familiar to my Western sense； and so
exactly the thing Huck would say； but it won't do for children。
It was in the last chapter； where Huck relates to Tom the sorrows of
reform and tells how they comb him 〃all to thunder。〃 In the original；
〃They comb me all to hell；〃 says Huck； which statement； one must agree；
is more effective； more the thing Huck would be likely to say。
Clemens's acknowledgment of the correction was characteristic：
Mrs。 Clemens received the mail this morning； and the next minute she
lit into the study with danger in her eye and this demand on her
tongue； 〃Where is the profanity Mr。 Howells speaks of？〃 Then I had
to miserably confess that I had left it out when reading the MS。 to
her。 Nothing but almost inspired lying got me out of this scrape
with my scalp。 Does your wife give you rats； like that； when you go
a little one…sided？
The Clemens family did not； go to Elmira that year。 The children's
health seemed to require the sea…shore； and in August they went to
Bateman's Point； Rhode Island； where Clemens most of the time played
tenpins in an alley that had gone to ruin。 The balls would not stay on
the track； the pins stood at inebriate angles。 It reminded him of the
old billiard…tables of Western mining…camps； and furnished the same
uncertainty of play。 It was his delight； after he had become accustomed
to the eccentricities of the alley； to invite in a stranger and watch his
suffering and his frantic effort to score。
CII
SKETCHES NEW AND OLD〃
The long…delayed book of Sketches； contracted for five years before； was
issued that autumn。 〃The Jumping Frog；〃 which he had bought from Webb；
was included in the volume； also the French translation which Madame
Blanc （Th。 Bentzon） had made for the Revue des deux mondes； with Mark
Twain's retranslation back into English； a most astonishing performance
in its literal rendition of the French idiom。 One example will suffice
here。 It is where the stranger says to Smiley； 〃I don't see no p'ints
about that frog that's any better'n any other frog。〃
Says the French； retranslated：
〃Eh bien！ I no saw not that that frog had nothing of better than each
frog〃 （Je ne vois pas que cette grenouille ait mieux qu'aucune
grenouille）。 （If that isn't grammar gone to seed then I count myself no
judge。M。 T。）
〃Possible that you not it saw not；〃 said Smiley； 〃possible that you you
comprehend frogs； possible that you not you there comprehend nothing；
possible that you had of the experience； and possible that you not be but
an amateur。 Of all manner （de toute maniere） I bet forty dollars that
she batter in jumping； no matter which frog of the county of Calaveras。〃
He included a number of sketches originally published with the Frog； also
a selection from the 〃Memoranda〃 and Buffalo Express contributions； and
he put in the story of Auntie Cord； with some matter which had never
hitherto appeared。 True Williams illustrated the book； but either it
furnished him no inspiration or he was allowed too much of another sort；
for the pictures do not compare with his earlier work。
Among the new matter in the book were…〃Some Fables for Good Old Boys and
Girls；〃 in which certain wood creatures are supposed to make a scientific
excursion into a place at some time occupied by men。 It is the most
pretentious feature of the book； and in its way about as good as any。
Like Gulliver's Travels； its object was satire； but its result is also
interest。
Clemens was very anxious that Howells should be first to review this
volume。 He had a superstition that Howells's verdicts were echoed by the
lesser reviewers； and that a book was made or damned accordingly； a
belief hardly warranted； for the review has seldom been written that
meant to any book the difference between success and failure。 Howells's
review of Sketches may be offered as a case in point。 It was highly
commendatory； much more so than the notice of the 'Innocents' had been；
or even that of 'Roughing It'； also more extensive than the latter。 Yet
after the initial sale of some twenty thousand copies； mainly on the
strength of the author's reputation； the book made a comparatively poor
showing； and soon lagged far behind its predecessors。
We cannot judge； of course； the taste of that day； but it appears now an
unattractive； incoherent volume。 The pictures were absurdly bad； the
sketches were of unequal merit。 Many of them are amusing； some of them
delightful； but most of them seem ephemeral。 If we except 〃The Jumping
Frog；〃 and possibly 〃A True Story〃 （and the latter was altogether out of
place in the collection）； there is no reason to suppose that any of its
contents will escape oblivion。 The greater number of the sketches； as
Mark Twain himself presently realized and declared； would better have
been allowed to die。
Howells did； however； take occasion to point out in his review； or at
least to suggest； the more serious side of Mark Twain。 He particularly
called attention to 〃A True Story；〃 which the reviewers； at the time of
its publication in the Atlantic； had treated lightly； fearing a lurking
joke in it； or it may be they had not read it； for reviewers are busy
people。 Howells spoke of it as the choicest piece of work in the volume；
and of its 〃perfect fidelity to the tragic fact。〃 He urged the reader to
turn to it again； and to read it as a 〃simple dramatic report of
reality；〃 such as had been equaled by no other American writer。
It was i