• October 10, 1878 Thursday

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    From Sam’s notebook:
    Today received an  impudent letter from George Burk asking for 175 francs more—but it furnishes me  with his address, which I want.

    Afternoon—3 of the very  worst & most dismal solo singers in the world have been on the masonry platform ½ hour apart—never heard anything worse in the opera [MTNJ 2:  208].
     

  • October 12, 1878 Saturday

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    D. & C. Mac Iver wrote from Liverpool to advise “by  the request of Mr. George
    C. Wild we write to say that we shall be glad to  receive any articles, personal effects or otherwise & store &
    ship them  as you may instruct us” [MTP].
     

  • October 14, 1878 Monday

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    Sam wrote from Venice,  Italy to Chatto & Windus,  asking them to send copies of Innocents Abroad and The Adventures of  Tom Sawyer to William Mayer,  care of G.K. Mayer, Vienna Austria [MTLE 3: 94]. Following the establishment of a Linotype factory in 1890 in England,  the publisher William Mayer and his son Jacques traveled to Germany in 1894 to  find business partners there. 

  • October 15, 1878 Tuesday

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    The Clemenses visited Padre  Giacomo Issaverdenz, a friend of Howells,  on the island of San Lazzaro,  two miles southeast of Venice.  At the Armenian monastery the Padre gave them preserved rose-leaves to eat,  showed them photographs and talked about the Howellses [MTHL 1: 241].

    Sam’s notebook:

    “Very magnificent sunset & lamp effects (Piazza) coming  from San Lazzaro… Dittura—Boom! (finger to temple.) –Morte—Signor  Bismark—to-day–(laying head in palm of hand)” [MTNJ 2: 222-3]. (See Oct.  16 entry for explanation.)
     

  • October 16, 1878 Wednesday

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    Sam’s notebook:

    For two days we have been doubting Dittura’s reliability as a  news gatherer—but to-night I heard a news- man crying a paper—understood “Count  Bismark” & bought a copy—spelled out the fact that 2 days ago, Carlo Conti  di Bismark, a citizen of Venice, committed suicide by shooting himself through  the head with a revolver. So D.[ittura] was 2 days ahead of the newspaper [MTNJ  2: 223].

    Stabilimento  Salviati, Venice, sent a statement for items purchased/shipped [MTP].
     

  • October 17, 1878 Thursday

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    Sam’s notebook:

    Belli Arti—It is not possible that anybody could take more  solid comfort in martydom that St. Sebastian did….The Old Master’s horses  always rear after the fashion of the kangaroo….500 Last Suppers—they all have  new table cloths with the fold wrinkles sharply defined.

    The fig leaf & private members of statues are handled so  much that they are black & polished while the rest of the figure is white  & unpolished. Which sex does this handling?

    Left for Florence. Good by, Dittura Agostino! [MTNJ 2: 223-5].

  • October 21, 1878 Monday

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    Livy wrote from Florence to her mother:

    This evening Mr & Mrs Chamberlain were in for an hour  & we sat about a wood fire & chatted—then Mr
    Clemens read to us—then to  bed—where I am now—Florence is much more restful than Venice, because
    we have  no social demands—and one ought to know no one when they are visiting picture  galleries—The
    Chamberlains are a perfect delight, they never tax us in the  least they are helpful to us and are bright
    beyond expression [MTNJ 2:  226n19].

  • October 22, 1878 Tuesday

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    Joe Twichell wrote to Sam.

    I have been thinking of you all the morning. This is one of  those golden, perfect autumn days when ones desire to off somewhere among  trees, mounts to a passion… Now, Mark, let’s make a vow, that when we are once  more together we will use these heavenly days as they were meant to be used and  as we shall wish we had when we come to look back on life [MTP]. Note: there is  much more and more depth to this letter, but space here does not allow it all.
     

  • October 23, 1878 Wednesday

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    Sam’s notebook:

    In Santa Croce to-day a well dressed young woman followed us,  begging for centimes.

    An old frowsy woman watched where I laid my cigar, then  approached us with it as Chamberlain & I came
    out & said she rescued it  from some boys (who had found it in the dark!) & wantd 5 cents for her  trouble.
    She followed us into the street & finally cursed us & called  down sudden death upon us [MTNJ 2: 229].
     

  • October 27, 1878 Sunday

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    Sam’s notebook:

    Uffizzi Gallery, Sunday (free day,)

    What a shamed look people have who go along with a guide—they  nod annoyedly at every statement he
    makes, & they scarcely look at the  object he points at; often not at all; neither look they to one side or the
    other, or at anybody; they seem to have but one desire: to get through with  this painful trial & go free again
    [MTNJ 2: 234].

  • October 28, 1878 Monday

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    The Clemens family left Florence for Rome. The trip took 8 hours  and they arrived
    at 4:30 PM [MTNJ 2: 235]. The party stayed at  the Hotel d’Allemania. Sam noted the cost of  the rooms,
    three coffees, one beefsteak and three “table d’hotes” (communal  table, full-course meal) totaling 48.25
    francs, paid at 5 PM [281].
     

  • October 29, 1878 Tuesday

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    In his notebook, Sam concluded that the “Immaculate  Conception has ceased to be a wearying & worrisome question.” What the  Ecumenical Council should “decide once & forever” was, “who was it that  struck Billy Patterson?” (From Wm. Porter’s collection, The Big Bear  of Arkansas and Other Sketches) [MTNJ 2:  235]. More from Sam’s notebook:

    It is the more ridiculous spectacle to see a Virgin or a  copper Aristotle stuck on top of every stately monument of the grand old  “pagan” days of Rome.

  • October 30, 1878 Wednesday

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    Sam visited the Sistine Chapel,  commenting on work by Raphael. He counted 25 courtyards in the Vatican.  He noted the Tom of the Virgin and wrote “How  she would draw in N.Y.” [MTNJ 2:  237].

    Gustavo Sarfatti wrote to Sam (Sept. 29 from  Sarfatti enclosed) [MTP].
     

  • October 31, 1878 Thursday

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    Sam received letters from Will Sage and Joe Twichell about payments required and red tape needed to  get the “two boxes of Clocks” through customs. He  made a note to do a chapter in his book about “this most scoundrelly &  infernal custom house system” [MTNJ 2: 237].

    Sam’s notebook:

  • November, 1878

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    November – In Sam’s  notebook there’s an entry “Little Pedlington” which refers to John Poole’s   1839 book, Little Pedlington and the Pedlingtonians. Gribben quotes E.  Cobham Brewer, calling this “an imaginary place, the village of quackery and  can’t, egotism and humbug, affectation and flatter” [553].

    Sam noted “Turganieff’s Visions”  and “Visions, a Phantasy, by Tourganieff—in the Galaxy”  in his notebook [MTNJ 2: 244, 247].

  • November 1, 1878 Friday

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    –  Sam’s notebook:

    “Great festa-day—shops all closed. Attended High Mass in a  chapel of St. Peters. Heaps of people of all ages sexes & professions  kissing (& scrubbing) St Peter Jupiter’s toe. He looks like a black negro  & has short crisp hair” [MTNJ 2: 239].
     

  • November 3, 1878 Sunday

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    – Sam wrote from Rome, Italy to Joe  Twichell. After discussing the  matter of a clock Sam had purchased, sending it home through Will Sage, which caused all sorts  of red tape, Sam sent compliments on Joe’s letters.

  • November 5, 1878 Tuesday

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    – Sam’s notebook:

    “…spent all day in Vedder’s lofty studio & the evening  with him & another artist spinning yarns & drinking beer in a quiet  saloon. Big row in the street but no bloodshed.” 

     Elihu Vedder was an American artist who kept a studio in  Rome. Sam visited the studio several times [MTNJ 2:  242]. (See Nov. 9 entry.)
     

  • November 8, 1878 Friday

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    – Sam viewed the painting “Bambino” at Ara  Coeli.

    It is  always safe to say a thing was mentioned by Pliny. He was the father of  reporters—he mentioned everything.

    Suit of  clothes in Heidelberg, $18; in Milan (slop-shop) $9; in  Rome (fancy tailor, $25  & $38—both very fine—the latter half dress. At home, $65 to 90 [MTNJ 2: 246].
     

  • November 9, 1878 Saturday

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    – “Cooks agent gone off junketing—for a few days—can’t get any tickets” [MTNJ 2: 245].
     
    In  a letter dated Nov. 10, Livy wrote to her mother:

    We  have enjoyed Rome immensely & wish so very much that we were  going to spend three months here.