August 16 Tuesday – In Elmira Sam wrote to Charles Webster, closing with the thought that the General Hancock book “does indeed promise well.” Sam believed in giving “any respectable author permission to use extracts” of their books, even as much as a tenth of the entire book. He believed such extracts created good publicity and sales for the books.
It isn’t a newspaper’s review of a book that makes the book sell; it is the extracts copied from the book that does it. To be consistent damned donkeys, Houghton Mifflin ought to forbid the use of extracts in reviews of their books. But I suppose a fool is never consistent [MTLTP 225]. Note: it had been Arthur H. Wright with Webster & Co. Who wrote Aug. 13 asking permission to supply excerpts from Grant’s Memoirs.
Franklin G. Whitmore wrote to Sam about the July 2 contract with Paige as yet unsigned. After some negotiations, Paige was to proceed with the invention of the new kind of motor & dynamo at his own expense, but allow Sam to claim a half-share in it by executing the July 2 contract and paying Paige his development expenses should the invention prove successful [MTNJ 3: 338n111].
William Smith, editor of The History and Antiquities of Pudsey (1887) inscribed a copy of the book to Sam: S.L. Clemens, Esq./ with the Editor’s / Sincere / regards / Morley, Aug 16 ’87 [Gribben 570].
August 16 Tuesday ca. – Somewhat after this date, Sam wrote a one-liner to Theodore F. Seward, who had asked if he might use Sam’s “idiot” comment sent on about Aug. 9, then complained when Sam declined permission:
Come — come — take a walk; you disturb the children [MTP]. Note: The PDF file at the MTP ascribes this letter to Unidentified and gives it after 1887.08.15 date, listing also an “author’s draft.” MTLP 2: 474-5 provides some backstory on this affair, and gives this as Sam’s “Mailed Answer,” preceded by Sam’s “Unmailed Answer”:
Dear Sir, — What is the trouble with you? If it is your viscera, you cannot have them taken out and reorganized a moment too soon. I mean, if they are inside. But if you are composed of them, that is another matter. Is it your brain? But it could not be your brain. Possibly it is your skull: you want to look out for that. Some people, when they get an idea, it pries the structure apart. Your system of notation [Tonic Solfa for music scores] has got in there, and couldn’t find room, without a doubt that is what the trouble is. You skull was not made to put ideas in, it was made to throw potatoes at. Yours Truly [MTLP 475].