Submitted by scott on

July 28 Sunday – Alta California printed Sam’s article “ACADEMY OF DESIGN,” which Sam had
dated May 28. Camfield lists this as “Letter from Mark Twain” No. 23 [bibliog.].
I am thankful that the good God creates us all ignorant. I am glad that when we change His plans in
this regard, we have to do it at our own risk. It is a gratification to me to know that I am ignorant of
art, and ignorant also of surgery. Because people who understand art find nothing in pictures but
blemishes, and surgeons and anatomists see no beautiful women in all their lives, but only a ghastly
stack of bones with Latin names to them, and a network of nerves and muscles and tissues inflamed by
disease. The very point in a picture that fascinates me with its beauty, is to the cultured artist a
monstrous crime against the laws of coloring; and the very flush that charms me in a lovely face, is, to
the critical surgeon, nothing but a sign hung out to advertise a decaying lung. Accursed be all such
knowledge. I want none of it [Schmidt].

Day By Day Acknowledgment

Mark Twain Day By Day was originally a print reference, meticulously created by David Fears, who has generously made this work available, via the Center for Mark Twain Studies, as a digital edition.