13 October 1873 • London, England (MS: ViU, UCCL 00974)
Did my late turnip-headed clerk2explanatory note take that French Jumping Frog Sketch to you some time ago? And could you read his writing? And are you proposing to use it? If not will you please post it to me here?3explanatory note
Have called several times, but not been fortunate enough to catch you in.
George Bentley (1828–95) had become head of the London publishers Richard Bentley and Son upon his father’s death in 1871. A businessman of energy and perseverance, he greatly improved the company’s reputation and financial position. He had been the editor of Temple Bar: A London Magazine for Town and Country Readers since 1866, when the firm had purchased it.
Samuel C. Thompson, whom Clemens had dismissed in mid-July (see 16 July 73 to Warner, n. 2click to open link).
See 7 July 73 to Bliss, n. 1click to open link. Thompson’s transcription of the sketch is not known to survive; it was never published in Temple Bar. Bentley had invited such submissions, as Clemens recalled in an 1876 letter to him: “You remember a visit which Joaquin Miller & I paid you once. You asked me then to send you advance sheets of such sketches as I might write for magazines here, & I always purposed doing it, but continually forgot it” (26 Apr 76 to Richard [an error for George] Bentley, ViU).
MS, Clifton Waller Barrett Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville (ViU).
L5 , 455–456.
deposited at ViU by Clifton Waller Barrett on 17 December 1963.
More information on provenance may be found in Description of Provenanceclick to open link.