November 9 Saturday – Sam attended the Lord Mayor’s Banquet. Sir Sydney Waterlow was the new Lord Mayor. The banquet was held for 800-900 guests [MTLE 5: 221n1]. On each plate was a plan of the hall with the position of each person numbered. A reading of the names of those present was made, as Sam later told during a journalistic breakfast in 1879.

November 8 Friday – Clemens sent another announcement to the editor of the London Telegraph, of his return home and plans for lecturing in the spring [MTL 5: 219].

John Camden Hotten wrote to Clemens, who went to Piccadilly to call on him. Hotten’s letter, noted only in 1st ed. MTDBD I for this date, is now supplied by Welland:

November 7 Thursday – Sam attended a dinner for the Linnean Society of London, with Henry Lee, who was a member. The society commemorated Swedish naturalist Carl Linneaus (1707-1778) [MTL 5: 214n3].

Sam inscribed a copy of Innocents Abroad to Sir John Bennett: “With the warm regards of The Author” [McBride 7].

November 6 Wednesday – Sam wrote from London to his mother and sister that Livy was going to return to England with him in April and stay several months. He bought his nephew, Sammy Moffett, a steam engine and himself a stereopticon, which he initially had considered buying Sammy [MTL 5: 215-6].

November 5 Tuesday – Sam attended the opening of the New Guildhall Library and Museum. Sam wrote from the Langham Hotel in London at midnight to Henry Lee. “I sail in first steamer after Lord Mayor’s dinner on Nov.

November 4 Monday – Sam received a cable from Livy, saying “come home,” that she would return to England with him in the spring [MTL 5: 214n2]. 

Sir Sydney Hedley Waterlow (London Lord Mayor) sent Clemens an engraved invitation to dine at Stationer’s Hall on Monday, Nov. 4 [MTP]. Note: likely this invite was earlier than Nov. 4.

November 3 Sunday – In London Sam wrote to James Redpath.

“I am revamping, polishing & otherwise fixing up my lecture on Roughing It & think I will deliver it in London a couple of times about a month from now, just for fun.”

Sam also asked for news of Bret Harte, not knowing about Redpath and Harte’s very public breakup over Harte’s failures to show for scheduled lectures [MTL 5: 208].

November 2 Saturday – Sam wrote from London to Mary Mason Fairbanks:

“I hunted that stag in a wagon—but I didn’t catch him. Neither did the red-coated, pigskin-breeched hunters—but it was fine to see the 250 scour over the hills & fields & sail over the hedges & fences like so many birds” [MTL 5: 205].

Sam was learning about the English:

November 1 Friday – Bill paid to The Farmington Creamery Co. for deliveries made Oct. 4,11,18,25, and Nov. 1 $12.50 [MTP].