July 2 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Drove out to Dollis Hill (4.35 to 5.10) in the rainstorm & took possession. It is certainly the dirtiest dwelling-house in Europe—perhaps in the universe. / Plasmon 12? / Goerz, 7.30” [NB 43 TS 20].

The Clemens family moved to the Dollis Hill House on the outskirts of N.W. London.

Sam gave a private reading, place and time unknown; he may or may not have stopped by John Y. MacAlister’s home [July 1 to MacAlister].

July 3 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Wiberforce afternoon, 4-to read a paper on Joan of Arc. / Drove home afterwards” [NB 43 TS 20].

July 4 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Lord Chief Justice 8.15.? / Went thence to 4th July banquet at hotel Cecil, arriving at 11.45, & made a speech—half the people had gone” [NB 43 TS 20].

July 5 Thursday

Sam attended a reception for the US Minister to the Court of St. James, Joseph H. Choate. Later Clemens made a speech at the Hotel Cecil for the American Society. His letter of July 8 to Richard Watson Gilder lists this day’s activities:

July 6 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “Plasmon—important meeting—Duke st. noon. / Lady Seton, 8 pm. / Clandestine meeting of the Savage Club. / By rule, Chair not allowed to speak. It is a good rule, & I will not transgress it. CLOTHES. / I am a farmer now with hay & sheep” [NB 43 TS 20-21].

July 7 Saturday

Sam’s notebook: “Bram Stoker. Good morals, & how to get along without them. / Diffidence—& how to acquire it. Irving. / Savage Club—6. / How shall we divide up China? Stanley. /A. By giving it all to Russia under a “temporary lease,” like Port Arthur [NB 43 TS 21].

Sam inscribed the Menu for the Savage Club dinner to Mrs. John Y. MacAlister: “Punctuality is the thief of time / With kindest regards to Mrs. Mac Alister” [MTP]. Note: the menu bore a caricature of Mark Twain.

July 8 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “Ogilvie—the hospital ? in S.A. Explain why a dog carrying 10,000 fleas will break down if you add 5. / We have secured real estate in S.A. worth a portion of what it has cost” [NB 43 TS 21].

July 9 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “Full board meeting 12. noon. To pass important resolution. / 38 Montpelier , S.W. / 21 Carleton H.T. — 3.” [NB 43 TS 21]. Note: square after “Montpelier” drawn in.

July 10 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “Dr. Haig, 7 Brook st (just around the corner.) / A.D. Provand, M.P. 2 Whitehall Court SW / The pocket-mine (or Frenchman’s Tunnel) in 1855. The 3 meet there again, aged 75) & strike it rich. But the girl, oh where is she? Chapparal quail” [NB 43 TS 21].

Will M. Clemens replied to Sam’s objections in his June 6 reply.

July 11 Wednesday –At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Brander Matthews.

My souls, I’m glad to see you!

But look here—I’m to come in to London & dine with my old friend J.Y.W. MacAlister (20 Hanover Square) & he is inviting Bronson Howard.

Can’t I come after dinner to the Savile Club, & fetch MacA. With me, & have a smoke? [MTP].

July 12 Thursday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to James R. Clemens.

Those were the best Indian cigars I have smoked outside of Calcutta. Won’t you please order 100 to be sent to me at above address, & the bill for the same.

We of the family send warm greetings to you & Mamma Caroline & Muriel. I suppose you are flown from London by this time, but I expect this to be forwarded… [MTP].

July 13 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “House Commons tea with Provand, M.P., 4. / Dine at MacAlister’s. / After dinner, take Mac to Savile Club, 107 Piccadilly, W. & smoke with Brander Matthews & Bronson Howard & Austin Dobson” [NB 43 TS 22]. Note: See July 11 for Bronson Howard info. Henry Austin Dobson (1840-1921), English poet and essayist; two volumes cited by Gribben, p. 196

July 14 Saturday – Sam’s notebook: “In afternoon Mac & wife & Saml Bergheim will drive out to Dollis Hill” [NB 43 TS 22].

At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to F.S. Higman, London, that he had “quitted the field” for lecturing, “permanently” [MTP].

July 15 Sunday – Sam’s notebook: “About this time make week-end at Cambridge with Livy” (Prof. A.C. Haddon, F.R.S.) [NB 43 TS 22]. Note: Dr. Alfred Cort Haddon (1855-1940) an influential British anthropologist and ethnologist.

July 16 Monday – Sam’s notebook: “PLASMON 12 / Smythe, 16 Adams st Portmon Square” [NB 43 TS 22].

At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to C.F. Moberly Bell, editor of the London Times, and enclosed, “The Missionary in World-Politics,” which he wanted printed anonymously. He did not send the note nor the essay, however.

Dear Mr. Bell:

Don’t give me away, whether you print it or not.

July 17 Tuesday – Richard Watson Gilder of Century wrote to Sam (who enclosed this letter to H.H. Rogers on Aug. 17):

Before leaving London I had your telegram [July 6] about the impossibility of “promising.” While that, of course, disappointed me a good deal, still the very word “promise” leaves a little hope that perhaps a promise might be made later; that is, within a certain time when it would still be available for us.

July 18 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook: “Write George Standring, 7 & 9 Finsbury st. E.1 Printer” [NB 43 TS 22].

Note: George Standring (b.1855), author of The People’s History of the English Aristocracy (1891) [Gribben 657]. Standring visited Sam some time during the Dollis Hill stay, enjoying a smoke with him. See Jan. 1, 1903.

July 19 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “The time we supported young Bartlett on surreptitious remittances & he pretended they came from a rich uncle. Told of the Lizt days in Weimar—’53-‘54” [NB 43 TS 22].

July 20 Friday – Sam’s notebook: “There is a divinity that roughs our ends, smooth-hew them how we will” [NB 43 TS 22].

July 25 Wednesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Poultney Bigelow. Inviting him to “Come out & see me,” and giving directions, then advising, “Don’t get lost—it takes an artist to do it.” After his signature Sam added, “If my friend J.Q. Adams of 88 Oakley street calls, you can freely talk about ‘Hadleyburg’ with him, you being my agent” [MTP]. Note: John Quincy Adams II, namesake of the President, died in 1894; so this JQA is not identified but may be a descendant.

July 26 Thursday – Jean Clemens’ twentieth birthday. Sam’s notebook: “Rev. Mr. Fowler came out to tea” [NB 43 TS 22].

At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Daniel Willard Fiske, having just received Fiske’s note (not extant).

“Do run out, to-morrow or next day, or any day but Sunday (which is pre-empted) & take tea with us—or dinner if you can” [Sam gave directions] [MTP].

July 27 Friday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Miss Helen F. Levy, Franconia, N.H.

“The signature in that telegram is genuine, but I think the date is an error. Whenever we can get half of a thing genuine let us be content, & hope it will not happen often enough to become monotonous” [MTP]. Note: neither Miss Levy nor the telegram are further identified

July 28 Saturday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to John Campbell Gordon (1847-1934), aka Marquess of Aberdeen:

July 29 Sunday – Lina W. Berle wrote from Boscawen, N.H. to Sam after having read JA for the fourth time; she liked it better each reading. She was a senior at Salem High School there [MTP].

July 31 Tuesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to Richard Watson Gilder regarding a cable sent previously.