January 13 Saturday –At 30 Wellington Court in London, England Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

McClure is here & has made me a proposition [see Jan.11]. As I wanted to ask your advice, I have postponed my answer to the 1st of March.

He is going to start a new magazine next fall, whose complexion is to be peculiarly American; its writers to be nearly all of that nationality; & one of its projects is to help hatch out & develop the rising young American literature.

He wants me to be its editor, with my name on the cover. After the matter for a number of the mag. has been selected by a staff of sub-editors, I am to go over it & veto any of it that I do not approve. This would occupy me one or two days per month. I am not required to do any other work.

Sam then described the rest of Samuel McClure’s offer and gave his reaction:

I am very much in love with the idea. The American writers of highest repute are to be secured for me as contributors. Now then, Uncle Henry, give me your very best judgment on this matter, for I greatly value it, & am depending on you [MTHHR 426-7].

Note: “McClure later modified some of his expectations, particularly about the amount of editorial labor to be expected of Clemens” [n1]. After McClure’s change of heart, Sam lost interest.

Samuel S. McClure wrote to Sam, clarifying his offer for Sam to edit a new magazine. His typed letter with details of Sam’s increasing ownership in such a magazine bears an added PS in handwriting: “Of course I will guarantee profits of $5000 a year for five years.” McClure was ready to build a new printing plant at the cost of fifty or sixty thousand dollars [MTP].