June 20 Thursday – Sam pulled off a breach of etiquette at 8 a.m. that was widely reported, and one Livy would undoubtedly have scolded him for. New York Times, June 21, p.1, dateline June 20, London:
TWAIN STARTLES LONDON.
Strolls in Bathrobe and Bare Legs from Hotel for a Plunge.
Special Cablegram.
Copyright, 1907, by THE NEW YORK TIMES CO.
LONDON, June 20.—Mark Twain exhibited himself as an eccentric today, and every staid Londoner who witnessed the exhibition fairly gasped. A little after 8 o’clock this morning he appeared in the foyer of Brown’s Hotel garbed in a blue bathrobe and slippers, with about three inches of bare legs showing.
A slight, elderly gentleman, with bushy, white hair, in this unconventional costume, startled the patrons of the hotel and worried the employees tremendously, but Mark Twain coolly surveyed those who were staring at him, and accompanied by is secretary, R. W. Ashcroft, walked out of the front door of the hotel into Dover Street.
The sidewalks were thronged with pretty shop girls on their way to work. They stopped short and gazed in astonishment at the great American humorist as he made his way toward the Bath Club, nearly opposite the hotel.
After his bath Mark Twain returned to his hotel in his three-piece costume of one bathrobe and two slippers, and had the pleasure of making a lot more people open their eyes very wide. The manager of the hotel was aghast as he saw Twain enter the hotel, but didn’t make a fuss. His feeling was that a great man like Mark Twain must be allowed to do as he pleases.
Mark Twain professed to wonder at the excitement he had caused. “I simply wanted to take a bath,” he said, “and did the same thing I’d often done at the seaside. London is a sort of seaside town, isn’t it?”
Mark Twain tomorrow will renew his acquaintance with King Edward, having a special invitation to the King’s great garden party at Windsor. He met King Edward first a number of years ago in Homburg [sic], where the King had a jolly laugh with him over a passage in one of his books in which he commented on the fact that Edward, at that time Prince of Wales, had passed him on the strand without stopping for a chat with him. The Prince, he later explained, was in a carriage, while he was on top of a penny ‘bus.
Secretary Ashcroft and two assistants were as busy as bees today answering communications from public bodies, public men, and personal friends of Mark Twain, who desire to entertain him. there could be no better evidence of his great popularity in England. [Insert: New York American, June 21].
Sam again ate breakfast with John Henniker Heaton; he lunched with Henry W. Lucy (“Toby M.P.”) and Mrs. Lucy; and took tea with Lady Stanley (Mrs. Henry M. Stanley) in the afternoon [MTB 1384].
Ashcroft’s notes: “Mr. Clemens called on Lady Stanley, widow of the explorer, in the afternoon” [MTFWE 32]. Note: Though Lathem puts this under June 23, in his A.D. Sam describes it as “one of my earliest calls,” so Paine’s date of June 20 rules here.
London Evening News, June 21, related the above luncheon with the Lucy’s and other Twain errands on page one:
Punch and Mark Twain
Mark Twain is to be given a dinner by the staff of “Punch” on a date not yet fixed. As Mark Twain has declared that he makes it a rule never to eat anything, the announcement may seem like a “Punch” joke.
But “Toby, M.P.,” whose other name is Mr. H.W. Lucy, has had the American humorist to lunch, and Mark Twain gave such an excellent imitation of an author encircling a square meal that his host has arranged for a repetition of the performance for the pleasure of the “Punch” writers and artists.
Mr. Clemens is delighted at the opportunity of meeting them, and intends to press them with the utmost cordiality to represent English Humour at the great Mark Twain funeral festivities.
He has called at the American Embassy and had an hour’s chat with Mr. Whitelaw Reid, partly about the dinner to which Mr. Reid has invited Mark Twain and many distinguished guests, including Lord Tennyson, the President of the Royal Academy, the Poet Laureate, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Mark Twain asks the “Evening News” to say for him that he cannot accept even a moderate proportion of the invitations he has received.
He is humane to his secretary. He does not keep him at letter writing all day, and the secretary is at present up half the night typewriting refusals.
Paderewski is also staying at Brown’s Hotel, and sooner or later the two great men may meet, if Mark Twain can tear himself from his bed before dinner-time.
The humorist says he could do with a few free lessons in playing the piano.
At Brown’s Hotel in London Ashcroft wrote for Sam to John Y. MacAlister.
Mr. Clemens directs me to acknowledge and to thank you very much indeed for your letter and the enclosed list of those who are to receive Degrees at Oxford on the 26 event. P. S. / Excuse terseness & brevity, but we were up till 3 a.m. last night, answering letters [MTP].
Ashcroft also wrote for Sam to Eveleen Myers, apologizing for not answering her and Mrs. Gertrude Tennant’s letters the day before; they were up till 3 a.m. answering letters. Sam’s schedule was completely full and they regretted being unable to spend a few hours or even to call [MTP].
Isabel Lyon’s journal (NY): Today we went back to town in great heat of find the house stifling. I’m not sleeping any of these nights along here. I’m groping along to Something, with an indescribable loneliness. It’s the terrible loneliness that always comes over me with the King so far away.
Perhaps it’s wrong, anxiety too, I have full charge of the house in N.Y. now and I’m afraid perhaps I mayn’t fulfil the trust Santa puts in me. Then I have lots of ms. to read. The Orion Autobiography to finish, and the recent dictation of the King to read up and put into shape— consecutive shape. And I’m longing to get at it. Planning to go to Redding tomorrow [MTP 72].
….
Thomas Power O’Connor wrote to Sam [MTP]. On or after this date Sam replied: “Yes, I will go to tea at the House. / It is in Roughing It, I think” [MTP].
A.P. Macdonald wrote from London to Sam. “Permit me to hand you enclosed copies of my two little books, and as ahumble tribute from a Scottish humorist (alleged—& if you can imagine such a thing) to the Great Master of the World’s Humor” [MTP]. Note: See also Macdonald’s June 22 and Sam’s reply before June 30.
The Edinburgh Evening Dispatch, June 20, p.5 ran some Mark Twain interview humor:
MARK TWAIN AND HIS FUNERAL.
———
SEEKING HITS FROM THE OXFORD PAGEANT.
Mark Twain, whose arrival in England has already been mentioned, has been interviewed, as a matter of course. He talked of many things, including white suits, gramophones, Mrs. Eddy, cigars, Bernard Shaw, and himself, but through all these topics it was evident that there was one matter dearest and nearest to his heart—and that was his funeral. Every time Mark was coaxed away to another subject he sighed heavily, and, regarding his long cigar with a thoughtful, far-away look, said:—“But about this funeral of mine—” And then he started again.
A clairvoyant has told him that he is going to die in a foreign land (“May be England; may be New Jersey,” says Mark), and so he is making arrangements for his funeral now, in case he is too busy afterwards.
One must see this big, boisterous man, with the red-veined cheeks of health, to appreciate why he can afford to joke even with death.
“I think this funeral is going to be a great thing. I shall be there,” he drawled. “I’m stopping for the Oxford pageant, and I guess I shall pick up a few hints from it. I only wish I could make it last six days,” he mused, ruefully. “Shall I have a band? Band! I shall have fifty bands falling over one another at every fifty yards, and each playing a different tune. It’ll be a showy funeral, with plenty of liquor for all the guests.
“I shall issue invitation cards something like this:—‘The late Mr. Mark Twain requests the pleasure of ——‘s company. Mourning dress.’ I haven’t decided on the route yet, but it will be somewhere in a parallel latitude.
“Why, there was a lady on board asked me to come to her wedding. ‘Yes,’ I replied, ‘I will, if you’ll come to my funeral.’ I told her all about it, and now she’s quite eager for it to happen.”
Mark Twain was asked whether he was going to write a diary of Cain and Abel to follow the delightfully irresponsible diaries of Adam and Eve.
“No,” he replied seriously. “You see Cain was an ancestor of mine, and I try to hush up that affair of his with Abel.” It appears that the Twain family’s chief business in the days of the past was assassination and such like things, but people began to remark on it, and now he says they devote their time to little burglaries and thefts. At one time they were noted for their piety, which is the chief characteristic of the family to-day.—Daily Express.
John Lubbock, (Lord Avebury) replied to Sam’s note of the prior day, addressing the note to Ralph Ashcroft: “Please tell Mr. Clemens that I was very sorry to miss him. / July 6th will suit me quite well & I am very glad he can come to breakfast. I will ask a few literary & scientific friends to meet him” [MTFWE 201].
Marie Corelli wrote from Stratford-on-Avon to Sam with a “little word of welcome and affectionate greeting.” She signed “Your life-long admirer and grateful friend.” Sam couldn’t stand the woman, but that came later [MTP].
Phillip L. Agnew for the Punch office wrote to Sam to invite him to dinner during his visit [MTP].
H. Walter Barnett wrote from London: “I beg herewith to send you, for your acceptance, a few prints of portraits which I have made of you at previous Sittings, and I shall hope to send the proofs of the Sitting of yesterday to you in a few days. … I trust that you will not fail in your promise to come and sit to me in your Academical Robes…” [MTP].
Julian Stafford Corbett wrote from London, unable to catch him at his hotel the day before and to bid him welcome “in faint hope that I might shake your hand once more. Is there an chance of seeing you?” [MTP].
Evelyn B. Dickens wrote from London, “I am venturing to write to you knowing that my father—Charles Dickens the Younger—was a friend of yours. Perhaps you remember a visit he & my mother & sister paid you when he was in America some 18 years ago. She asked a favor, being a painter in a private school”—would he come and give away their prizes? [MTP].
Elliott & Fry wrote and asked for a new portrait of Twain for their Publishing Series [MTP].
W.H. Helm wrote from London:
I was glad to know, through your secretary, that you liked my review of Christian Science—it was kind of you to send me word. / On the 29th —unless my evening paper is more than usually ill-informed—I shall at least see you at the Lord Mayor’s dinner. But you promised me when last I called on you at Dollis Hill that you would “have a bicycle ride” with me when next you came to London [MTP].
Charles Lancaster wrote to Ashcroft, “delighted” to learn Sam had decided to visit Liverpool [MTP].
T. Mary Lockyer wrote for her husband, Sir Norman Lockyer, who was delighted Sam was th in London and hoped to see him soon. Would Clemens lunch with them on Monday the 24 ?
Lockyer was looking forward to seeing Sam at Oxford. Lockyer was also getting a degree [MTP].
George Ian MacAlister wrote on Royal Societies Club stationery enclosing a handwritten list th of “those who are to receive degrees on the 26 . It is evcn more variegated than I thought.”
Honorary Degree of D.C.L.
Prince Arthur of Connaught
The American Ambassador
Thomas Herbert Warren, Vice-Chancellor, Pres. Of Magdalen College
Lord Loreburn, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Prime Minister
Lord Jersey (Late Governor New South Wales)
Lord George Hamilton (Late Secretary for India)
The Speaker of the House of Commons
Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary
Lord Alverstone, Lord Chief Justics
Lord Sanderson (late under-Secretary Foreign Affairs)
Sir Antony MacDonnell (Irish Under-Secretary)
Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood. V.C.
Sir John Strachey (late Governor N.W. Provinces of India)
Dr. Butter (Trinity College, Cambridge)
Dr. [Edmund] Warre – Late Headmaster of Eton
Professor A.V. Dicey
Admiral Lord Charles Beresford V.C., Commander in Chief of [Cha???] Fleet
Sir R. Douglas Powell, President Royal College of Physicians
Auguste Rodin, Sculptor
G.F. Bodley, R.A.
Hubert von Herkomer, R.A.
General William Booth, Salvation Army
Honorary Degree of D. Sc.
Sir Norman Lockyer, F.R.S.
Professor Sir William Ramsay, F.R.S.
Sir William Perkin, F.R.S.
Professor W. Watson Cheym, F.R.S.
Ludwig Mond, F.R.S.
Honorary Degree of D. Litt.
The Archbishop of Arinagh [sp?]
Canon H. Scott Holland
Professor Sayce (Assyriology)
Sidney Colvin
Sidney Lee
Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Rudyard Kipling
Honorary Degree of D. Mus.
C.C. [Charles Camille] Saint-Saëus [MTP].
Herbert W. Mansfield wrote from London that he was “not connected with the press” but wished to call and shake hands [MTP].
Robert McClure wrote from Glasgow, Scotland, hoping Sam would “find the time in the midst of your many engagements to give a look at my little ‘booklet’ on ‘Speling [sic] Reform’.” He sent best wishes [MTP].
Percy N. for Liverpool Lord Mayor (John Japp) wrote receipt of Sam’s June 19 letter. He would send it on to the Lord Mayor at Eastbourne and keep the contents private [MTP]. Note: May have been written to Ashcroft.
Thomas Power O’Connor wrote from London on T.P.’s Weekly letterhead.
“I hope you will give me an opportunity of having a few words with you before you leave our shore.” He offered “any night next week” for Sam to come to “a little dinner party in the House of Commons.” He asked about finding the passage of the man who went to Wash. D.C. “in pursuit of some claim, and then his disappointment and descent into beggary.” The passage had “haunted” him for years [MTP]. Note: Ashcroft wrote on the letter: “Yes, I will get to tea at the House. / It is in Roughing It, I think.” See June 29 from O’Connor answering.
Muriel M. Pears wrote from Ovington Gardens, London. “It makes me so happy to think of you in our midst.” She felt he couldn’t go away without seeing her, if “only for a minute—or at most, a minute and a half!” She wished that her brother, a soldier, could meet him [MTP].
Robert P. Porter scrawled the Oxford itinerary for Wed., the 26 of June [MTP].
Renee, an inventor “struggling for years, unaided” in London wrote to ask Sam if he’d speak to his friends in her behalf, as she was poor and others who had infringed upon her inventions owed her a fortune. “Don’t talk of funerals, live another 50 yars to gladden the world. I am, One of yr. Admirers” [MTP].
J. Samuel wrote from London, “victim of the most blackmailing plots” and asking for his assistance [MTP].
Helen Seton wrote from Chelsea: “I hope you have not forgotten us, for we always hold you in affectionate remembrance & are so delighted to have the regard. Always…” [MTP].
George Bernard Shaw wrote from London:
Will you lunch with us here at 1.30 on Thursday or Friday or Saturday next week? “Us” means my wife and myself; and there will be nobody else except perhaps Max Beerbohm…Or is there anybody you would like to meet whom I could get at for you? Make use of us asif we were a pair of old slippers: we feel like that about you [MTP].
Mrs. R. Haskett Smith wrote from Princess Helena College, London to welcome him. Life was dull since her husband died 18 months before. “He never forgot the happy evenings spent with you in New Zealand after your lectures were over.” She asked if Sam would come down and see her. They were having a “pastoral play on the 28th & 29 th” if he cared to come [MTP].
An Unknown person in London sent a postcard with this verse of welcome:
A man of Mark, Mark you.
Named Mark, Mark that Two. (Twain)
He’s hit the Mark, Mark it!
Mark is here, with all his wit. / Welcome [MTP].
Frederick C. Van Duzer for American Society in London wrote their pleasure that he would attend the July 4 banquet and enclosed his ticket [MTP].
Frederick D. Wardle wrote from Bath, England: “I trust that no news is good news and that I am to have the pleasure of hearing from you in a day or two that you will come to Bath” [MTP].
Elizabeth Woodruff wrote a follow up to a letter sent to America asking Sam to “write something” for her forthcoming book, One Touch of Nature. Not gaining an answer then she felt he didn’t get the letter, and pumped her book with a list of contributors [MTP].
Henry R. Tedder for Athenaeum Club sent a full page of printed notice inviting Clemens to the clubhouse for a period of one month, and also enclosed a smaller printed notice of extract of their rules [MTP].
June 20 or 27 — M.A. FitzGerald wrote from Hyde Park asking if Sam could “spare a little time?” as he “must speak with you” about an unspecified matter [MTP].