May 23 Wednesday – In Dublin, N.H. Isabel Lyon wrote for Sam to Frank N. Doubleday.
The Gospel is going to be a fine book. Keep the 250 copies safe & secure. Your share of the swag is 20% whenever we sell a copy—which will not happen for a good while yet; nor until the edition is rare & people are illing to pay $300. a copy for it. That is the price, or we hold on & wait ten years—you & my daughters. … [MTP].
Note: Sam referred to his What Is Man? here as “The Gospel.” He “maintained his anonymity by having Frank N. Doubleday serve as his go-between with DeVinne Press, a New York City firm that published 250 copies of the book in August 1906. Issued without an author’s name, the book was copyrighted under the name of J.W. Bothwell, DeVinne’s superintendent” [Rasmussen A-Z 510]. Editorial emphasis. See also Trombley, MTOW p. 63, who writes, “Twain hoped it would create a literary sensation; instead, it fell flat…he wanted to burn the 240 volumes left.”
Charles J. Langdon wrote to Sam, enclosing a check on the Knickerbocker Trust Co. for $137.50 on the Duvall County, Florida bonds, held by Sam as executor to Livy’s estate. Charley had been in Hot Springs, Va. and was not well.
“I trust you are all well at Dublin and on your new farm. I suppose you will look closely after the management of the farm and see that the crops are properly gathered when they are ready, if you can tell when that is which I doubt. / With love to you all” [MTP]. Note: Sam answered this tease ca. May 25.
Clemens’ A.D. for the day: Charles Henry Webb states that “Jumping Frog” has been favorably received by that he has received nothing on it because of dishonesty of the American News Co.—Clemens makes contract the American Publishing Co. for “Innocents Abroad” and suppresses the publication of “Jumping Frog” by Webb—afterwards discovered from the American News Co. that Webb had swindled him. Terms of contract with Elisha Bliss for “Roughing It” and “A Tramp Abroad” [MTP Autodict2].
The Gospel is going to be a fine book. Keep the 250 copies safe & secure. Your share of the swag is 20% whenever we sell a copy—which will not happen for a good while yet; nor until the edition is rare & people are illing to pay $300. a copy for it. That is the price, or we hold on & wait ten years—you & my daughters. … [MTP].
Note: Sam referred to his What Is Man? here as “The Gospel.” He “maintained his anonymity by having Frank N. Doubleday serve as his go-between with DeVinne Press, a New York City firm that published 250 copies of the book in August 1906. Issued without an author’s name, the book was copyrighted under the name of J.W. Bothwell, DeVinne’s superintendent” [Rasmussen A-Z 510]. Editorial emphasis. See also Trombley, MTOW p. 63, who writes, “Twain hoped it would create a literary sensation; instead, it fell flat…he wanted to burn the 240 volumes left.”
Charles J. Langdon wrote to Sam, enclosing a check on the Knickerbocker Trust Co. for $137.50 on the Duvall County, Florida bonds, held by Sam as executor to Livy’s estate. Charley had been in Hot Springs, Va. and was not well.
“I trust you are all well at Dublin and on your new farm. I suppose you will look closely after the management of the farm and see that the crops are properly gathered when they are ready, if you can tell when that is which I doubt. / With love to you all” [MTP]. Note: Sam answered this tease ca. May 25.
Clemens’ A.D. for the day: Charles Henry Webb states that “Jumping Frog” has been favorably received by that he has received nothing on it because of dishonesty of the American News Co.—Clemens makes contract the American Publishing Co. for “Innocents Abroad” and suppresses the publication of “Jumping Frog” by Webb—afterwards discovered from the American News Co. that Webb had swindled him. Terms of contract with Elisha Bliss for “Roughing It” and “A Tramp Abroad” [MTP Autodict2].
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