September 17 Thursday – In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to Charles Gilman Norris (1881- 1945), author and playwright (see notes) in Toronto.

Dear Mr. Norris: / Someday, I hope, you will be moved to visit me here, & will obey the impulse: then I will explain why I have not long ago done some of the things which you suggest—for I have thought of them, considered them, pondered them, & waited; waited for the right time. It is coming. When it arrives, I shall know it, if alive; if dead, my absence will not affect the result—at least deleteriously.

What I have desired, & what I still desire is, to have What is Man examined by unpreoccupied (& CAPABLE) minds. Examined—not glanced at. To accomplish this, the authorship must be concealed—for the present. To publish the book with my name to it would defeat this. I want a backing of several hundred capable men before I come out of hiding—men who have read unprejudiced, & have approved. Then they are committed, & will stand to their guns; & will persuade others.

I marvel that you have found several persons who were able to put their training aside sufficiently to enable them to understand the book. I have placed it (clandestinely) before 5 or 6 competent persons—with deliciously sad results! I have read it—with comments & explanations—to six persons; three understood, three didn’t. Since I finished this house & moved into it on the 18th of June, we have had about three dozen guests—all educated, all intelligent—but I have not brought the matter before one of them. They would not have understood.

I got my first person 23 years ago, when I threw out a feeler among 12 men of very superior intellect. Not one of them could understand & accept the proposition that personal merit is an impossible thing.

Yes, typewrite as many copies as you please, adding “copyright by J.W. Bothwell.” I hope your printed copy will get worn out by & by; then Ashcroft will send you another.

Very sincerely yours / S L. Clemens [MTP].

Note: from The Oxford Companion to American Literature: “Charles G. Norris, brother of Frank Norris, author of novels dealing with such problems as modern education, women in business, hereditary and environmental influences, big business, ethics and birth control.” Kathleen Thompson Norris (1880-1966) his wife, a popular novelist. 

Isabel Lyon’s journal: “Will has found an apartment on Styvesant Square. The King and I walked for 3 hours this afternoon down the Glen road and to the Garnet cliffs” [MTP: IVL TS 65].

Frederick A. Duneka wrote to Sam. “Mrs. Sanderson has sent to me the enclosed speech [not in file] which you made years ago defending General Grant’s English.” Duneka thought it might be good “turned over to Paine” (for the biography) [MTP]. Note: IVL: “Mr. Clemens decided to use the sketch autobiography”

Percy Spalding wrote from London to advise Sam he was sending a copy of “The Tichborne Trial” under separate wrapper [MTP].