6 December 1866 • San Francisco, Calif. (San Francisco Alta California, 8 Dec 66, UCCL 00115)
His Excellency Gov. Low, Gov. Blasdel, Gen. Wm. H. French, Hon. Ogden Hoffman, Etc.1explanatory note—Gentlemen: I cannot too highly appreciate the invitation you have honored me with, coming, as it does, from citizens who rarely permit their names to be used in this manner, and I gratefully accept your call. San Francisco has already given me a reception or two which I may be pardoned for feeling very proud of, and whether I have deserved this further generosity or not, I shall none the less industriously endeavor to persuade strangers that I have, anyhow.
I shall be happy to repeat my first lecture at CONGRESS HALL, Bush street, just above Montgomery, on MONDAY EVENING, December 10th, and will do my best, on that occasionⒶemendation, to merit the high favor you have shown me.2explanatory note
Frederick F. Low (1828–94), a former gold miner and banker, governor of California (1863–67); Henry G. Blasdel, governor of Nevada; Brevet Major General William H. French (1815–81), a former Union commander, now serving with the Second United States Artillery on the Pacific Coast; Ogden Hoffman (1822–91), since 1851 judge of the United States District Court for the northern district of California ( NCAB , 4:49–50; Heitman, 437; Shuck 1889, 315–18; Shuck 1901, 472–73; Langley 1865, 595).
Clemens was responding to the following invitation, signed by Low, Blasdel, French, and Hoffman, heading a list of twenty:
Mark Twain, Esq.—Sir: Several of the undersigned were present, two months ago, when you delivered your first Lecture on the Sandwich Islands, and would like much to hear it again; the remainder were unable to attend at that time, and desire that you will afford them the pleasure thus forfeited. Therefore, for these reasons, and also as a testimony to the strangers among whom you are going, of the esteem in which your abilities are held among your friends here at home, we invite you to repeat that Lecture before your departure for the Eastern States, and request that in your reply to this note you will name the day which will be most convenient for the purpose. (“Correspondence,” San Francisco Alta California, 8 Dec 66, 2)
Clemens gave satisfaction with this repeat performance. The Alta California remarked on 11 December: “In every respect, whether in regard to the subject matter of the lecture, manner of delivery, and amendment of some blemishes apparent on the first occasion, this lecture was a decided success” (“‘Mark Twain’s’ Lecture,” 1). Clemens concluded with a “farewell” in which he gave his “sincerest thanks and acknowledgments” for the “extreme kindness and cordiality” San Francisco had shown him, and predicted a brilliant future for the city (“‘Mark Twain’s’ Farewell,” San Francisco Alta California, 15 Dec 66, 2, in Benson, 212–13).
“Correspondence,” San Francisco Alta California, 8 Dec 66, 2.
L1 , 372–373; MTH , 449–50.
The MS is not known to survive.
More information on provenance may be found in Description of Provenanceclick to open link.