mrs. clemens and i got home from new york last night, where we had been since monday morning. warner dropped in and the suggestion was made that in view of the high success of your reading, in baltimore, you deliver the same reading here instead of the proposed lecture. the idea is exceedingly sound. this occasion being an advertisement, an untried lecture is not the safest thing. the safest thing is a reading which has been tried and has succeeded. we moveⒶemendation that you do the reading instead of the lecture. the lecture will come good after you shall have made your reputation. also, we want to change your date and make it one day later, that is to say the fourth of april if that will be convenient for you. the reason is warner cannot be here on the fourth but can be here on the third. let me know by telegram about these several things; give me your decision, and whatever it may be it shall be respected. i sent all this by telegraph to baltimore this morning before i opened your letter. i did not open any letters at the usual hour, because we are in a good deal of a flurry here. one of the coachman’s children is dying, and since midnight mrs. clemens has been rather alarmingly ill.