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talk over old times and old acquaintances。 After he returned to New York
he sent for my picture。 He wanted to use it in his book。〃
At St。 Louis the travelers changed boats； and proceeded up the
Mississippi toward St。 Paul。 Clemens laid off three days at Hannibal。
Delightful days ＇he wrote home＇。 Loitering around all day long；
examining the old localities； and talking with the gray heads who were
boys and girls with me thirty or forty years ago。 I spent my nights with
John and Helen Garth； three miles from town； in their spacious and
beautiful house。 They were children with me； and afterward schoolmates。
That world which I knew in its blooming youth is old and bowed and
melancholy now； its soft cheeks are leathery and withered； the fire has
gone out of its eyes； the spring from its step。 It will be dust and
ashes when I come again。
He had never seen the far upper river； and he found it very satisfying。
His note…book says：
The bluffs all along up above St。 Paul are exquisitely beautiful
where the rough and broken turreted rocks stand up against the sky
above the steep； verdant slopes。 They are inexpressibly rich and
mellow in color； soft dark browns mingled with dull greensthe very
tints to make an artist worship。
In a final entry he wrote：
The romance of boating is gone now。 In Hannibal the steamboat man is no
longer the god。
CXLI
LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY
Clemens took a further step toward becoming a publisher on his own
account。 Not only did he contract to supply funds for the Mississippi
book； but； as kaolatype； the chalk…engraving process； which had been
lingeringly and expensively dying； was now become merely something to
swear at； he had his niece's husband； Webster； installed as Osgood's New
York subscription manager； with charge of the general agencies。 There
was no delay in this move。 Webster must get well familiarized with the
work before the Mississippi book's publication。
He had expected to have the manuscript finished pretty promptly； but the
fact that he had promised it for a certain time paralyzed his effort。
Even at the farm he worked without making much headway。 At the end of
October he wrote Howells：
The weather turned cold； and we had to rush home； while I still
lacked thirty thousand words。 I had been sick and got delayed。 I
am going to write all day and two…thirds of the night until the
thing is done or break down at it。 The spur and burden of the
contract are intolerable to me。 I can endure the irritation of it
no longer。 I went to work at nine o'clock yesterday morning and
went to bed an hour after midnight。 Result of the day （mainly
stolen from books though credit given）； 9；500 words； so I reduced my
burden by one…third in one day。 It was five days' work in one。 I
have nothing more to borrow or steal； the rest must all be written。
It is ten days' work and unless something breaks it will be finished
in five。
He had sworn once； when he had finally finished 'A Tramp Abroad'； that he
would never limit himself as to time again。 But he had forgotten that
vow； and was suffering accordingly。
Howells wrote from London urging him to drop everything and come over to
Europe for refreshment。
We have seen lots of nice people； and have been most pleasantly made
of； but I would rather have you smoke in my face and talk for half a
day； just for pleasure； than to go to the best house or club in
London。
Clemens answered：
Yes； it would be more profitable to me to do that because； with your
society to help me； I should swiftly finish this now apparently
interminable book。 But I cannot come； because I am not boss here；
and nothing but dynamite can move Mrs。 Clemens away from home in the
winter season。
This was in November； and he had broken all restrictions as to time。 He
declared that he had never had such a fight over any book before； and
that he had told Osgood and everybody concerned that they must wait。
I have said with sufficient positiveness that I will finish the book
at no particular date； that I will not hurry it； that I will not
hurry myself； that I will take things easy and comfortablywrite
when I choose to write； leave it alone when I do so prefer 。 。 。
。 I have got everything at a dead standstill； and that is where it
ought to be； and that is where it must remain； to follow any other
policy would be to make the book worse than it already is。 I ought
to have finished it before showing it to anybody； and then sent it
across the ocean to you to be edited； as usual； for you seem to be a
great many shades happier than you deserve to be； and if I had
thought of this thing earlier I would have acted upon it and taken
the tuck somewhat out of your joyousness。
It was a long； heartfelt letter。 Near the end of it he said：
Cable has been here； creating worshipers on all hands。 He is a
marvelous talker on a deep subject。 I do not see how even Spencer
could unwind a thought more smoothly or orderly； and do it in
cleaner； clearer； crisper English。 He astounded Twichell with his
faculty。 You know that when it comes down to moral honesty； limpid
innocence； and utterly blemishless piety； the apostles were mere
policemen to Cable； so with this in mind you must imagine him at a
midnight dinner in Boston the other night； where we gathered around
the board of the Summerset Club： Osgood full； Boyle O'Reilly full；
Fairchild responsively loaded； and Aldrich and myself possessing the
floor and properly fortified。 Cable told Mrs。 Clemens； when he
returned here； that he seemed to have been entertaining himself with
horses； and had a dreamy idea that he must have gone to Boston in a
cattle…car。 It was a very large time。 He called it an orgy。 And
no doubt it was； viewed from his standpoint。
Osgood wanted Mark Twain to lecture that fall； as preliminary advertising
for the book； with 〃Life on the Mississippi〃 as his subject。 Osgood was
careful to make this proposition by mail； and probably it was just as
well； for if there was any single straw that could have broken the back
of Clemens's endurance and made him violent at this particular time； it
was a proposition to go back on the platform。 His answer to Osgood has
not been preserved。
Clemens spoke little that winter。 In February he addressed the Monday
Evening Club on 〃What is Happiness？〃 presenting a theory which in later
years he developed as a part of his 〃gospel；〃 and promulgated in a
privately printed volume； 'What is Man'？ It is the postulate already
mentioned in connection with his reading of Lecky； that every human
action； bad or good； is the result of a selfish impulse； that is to say；
the result of a desire for the greater content of spirit。 It is not a
new idea； philosophers in all ages have considered it； and accepted or
rejected it； according to their temperament and teachings； but it was
startling and apparently new t