April 4 Wednesday – At 30 Wellington Court in London, England Sam wrote to George B. Harvey, at this time in London.

Dear Col. Harvey

After our conversation I will now state my desires, in the hope that it may be possible to grant them.

That there shall be no Canadian cheap edition.

That the proposed two books shall be compressed into one, and no cheap edition be issued.

In making the compression, that article on copyright should be left out and replaced by “My Campaign” (in the Civil War); the short story of “Luck” and the German English drama called “Meister Schaft.” The first and third of these were published in the “Century” and the “Luck” in Harper.

Further compression can be made by leaving out anything you please—grave matter like “Harriet Shelley &c preferably.

I should like to have 2 sets of these amended proofs to be sent to me.

Sincerely yours, S.L. Clemens

[Skinner Auctioneers, Oct. 30, 2005 Sale 2300, Lot 98]. Note: Thanks to JoDee Benussi. The date of Sam’s “conversation” with Harvey is not given, but on Apr. 25 Sam disclosed to Bliss that “Col. Harvey has been here.”

Note: George Brinton McClellan Harvey (1864-1928) was managing editor of the NY World until 1899, when he became editor of the North American Review, which published Sam’s Autobiographical segments in 1906 and 1907. He became president of Harper & Brothers in 1900 (Nov. 16) at the urging of J.P. Morgan who was the company’s major creditor. Harvey and H.H. Rogers negotiated long-term contracts for publishing Mark Twain’s works. He was often called “Colonel,” due to a brief staff position in N.J. state government when he was 21. See NY Times article Nov. 16, 1899.

Charles Frederick Moberly Bell, editor of the London Times, wrote to Sam.

Your letter was attended to in my absence and the Associated Press were given a proof of your report soon after 11 oclock.

I was delighted with your paper and only wish I could hope that your views were likely to prevail….[MTP]. Note: misdated Mar. 4 by Bell.

Sam’s notebook: “Marchesi’s concert” [NB 43 TS 6a]. Note: Blanche Marchesi (1863-1940), Clara Clemens’ voice teacher for a brief time in London.