Meanwhile, on 11 December, Clemens delivered the Artemus Ward lecture in Toledo. The Toledo Blade, which printed a lengthy synopsis, reported that “Mr. Clemens’ lecture at White’s Hall last night was one of the most remunerative of the course, the gross receipts reaching a trifle beyond $332, leaving, after all expenses were paid, a balance of $105. . . . The lecture was frequently applauded” (“Entertainments,” 12 Dec 71, 3).

George L. Fall.

The sponsor of Clemens’s 24 January 1872 New York engagement—the Mercantile Library Association—was able to satisfy his demands. His lecture was the sixth and final of its course, which had included such speakers as Wendell Phillips and Frederick Douglass (New York Evening Express: “Lectures,” 11 Dec, 22 Dec 71, 3; “Mark Twain,” 22 Jan 72, 3).

Clemens had consistently denounced “private speculations” ( L3 , 418; 8 Jan 70, 28 June 71, both to Redpathclick to open link). In Syracuse on 6 December he had lectured on Artemus Ward for the Y.M.C.A. The lecture was well advertised in the Syracuse Standard in the preceding days and reportedly satisfied an “immense audience” that “responded unanimously” (“Mark Twain,” Syracuse Standard, 7 Dec 71, 4).

Clemens had previously held a high opinion of his regular Newark lecture sponsors, the Clayonians (10 June 71 to Redpath and Fallclick to open link). The 29 November Newark lecture was advertised with an “Extra Announcement for Thanksgiving Eve,” an indication that it was not part of the regular Clayonian course and did not have the “benefit of the course tickets” (“Amusements,” Newark Advertiser, 23–25 Nov 71, 3). The Newark Advertiser remarked on the “many empty seats” and called the Artemus Ward talk “about the dullest entertainment ever given here” (“Mark Twain on Wednesday Night,” 1 Dec 71, 2).