Mark Twain's notes are often chaotic or obscure, yet they provide glimpses of his imagination at work, of the germ of his finished work and of the ideas and insights which proved unmanageable and were discarded. Because their relationship to one another and to the finished work is so frequently a matter of interpretation, these notes have been presented with as little editorial mediation as the rendering of handwriting into type permits.
They have been grouped on the basis of physical characteristics, comparisons with the manuscript, the matter treated within each set, internal cohesion, and topical references. When Mark Twain numbered his pages, his numbers have been printed. In addition, a number has been given to each manuscript leaf within a sequence.
No emendations have been made in Mark Twain's holograph notes. His ampersand has been retained. Single underlinings are presented as italics; double underlinings are rendered in small capital letters. Cancellations are included and marked by angle brackets, thus, 〈〉; substitutions by vertical arrows, thus, ↑↓, though context usually makes substitutions clear without the arrows; added words or phrases, by carets, thus, ⁁ ⁁; additions at some later date in pencil or ink different from the original by boldface, thus, Eddymania; and editorial explanation by square brackets, thus, []. Mark Twain's alternate readings are separated by virgules, thus, long/irresistible.
These working notes were written in pencil on a sheet of tablet paper of a kind often used by Mark Twain between 1900 and 1904. The page is very tattered; a piece at the top has been lost and, with it, much of a note which appears to read “pages of Which was It?” There is no apparent connection between this note and Mark Twain's story “Which Was It?”1
[top of page torn]
Which was It?
Pop. 30,000,000
Consisting of 300,000 persons of each age from 1 year to 100. 30,000,000 tickets in series of 300,000 for each age, at $100 each. Any person killed at say 1 yr of age, 300,000 ticket-holders got a prize. Prize should be $2,000, & require $6,000,000 to pay it. 12 persons killed in the year 8 months (for the tickets carry no further require a paymen[t] [page torn] of $72,000,000
Lightning-Lottery
[begin page 455]Group A
This group of working notes consists of a “Par Value” tablet cover, ten sheets of “Par Value” paper, and an extra cardboard back from another tablet, arranged in the order given here. The tablet cover, A-1, is still hinged to its original back, which is blank; the inscription on the cover's verso, A-2, appears at the bottom of the page, so that when the cover is open the writing is just above the top line of the tablet page. Pages A-3 to A-11 apparently were originally part of the tablet; A-12 is a page from a different tablet. On the extra cardboard back, A-13, the inscription runs along the length of the page; on all others, across the breadth.
A–1
Notes.
Adam
The House of Tragedies.
Bos'n is a Bob Howland (looks Jack Perry.
So is the Admiral.
A–2
CHARLEY ROSS
Marchesa wears girl-costume so he will know her—thinks he is w held in town here—she goes out every day & looks (& attracts laughter) & jimmy go with her
A–3
1
You can date him by these—they
were in use in his boyhood.
[begin page 456]“God called him.” Bosn' thinks it was an echo—call came from the other direction.
So deaf he can't read fine print.
So near-sighted he can't hear good.
Going all alone to Burlington from K in hope of a glimpse of Dr. Gwin after a lapse of 568 years.
risibles
regardless of expense
upon whose head the frosts of 60 winters a girl of 20 summers—didn't sestimate them by any other table
A–4
2
virginette
Man that started dog-bite & lightning insurance Co
History of story of man blown up (Stingy Co)—Paul Blouet ruined it in Aus.
[begin page 457] lips (cherry) visage rubicundteeth (pearl) could no longer conceal the evidences of her shame
chin (dimpled) betrayed
ears (shells) accomplished her ruin
maiden, not girl
A–5
3
Aunty Phillips (Cord)
The Twins
Derelicts
Jacobs & Cully
Man once wealthy; had a coachman; became poor; became coachman to his former coachman; now both serve the present occupant of the house, former home, which is a negro boarding-house, now, kept by the once ladysmaid—they follow her around the market & carry two baskets each & clean sidewalk, winter & summer. In her kindness she pays them 25 40c 50c a day each & their grub in kitchen—which is overpay; she could get it cheaper. But one relic is left these men—the coupon-scissors. Rastus boards there. They feel with Smith—death-Adam is the real benefactor of the race.
John T. Lewis 'Rastus Timson is the Brotherhood Man.
“Father er de Brotherhood? Sho!” Buil' a monument to him? No s'r!”
Aunty Cord a derelict. Special Prov'dence.
She tells the “True Story.”
He saved the Langdons, 28 yrs ago.
He was a Dunker—is freethinker now.
The Ungentlemanly Nation.
[begin page 458]A–6
24
“Storm at Sea—insurrection in hell.”
Born with false teeth.
Anchor Watch.
Smith wants monument to Adam not because he brought life—he hates him unforgivably for that—but because he brought the valuable boon—Death.
Jimmy wants it because he brought life.
Opinions of Anchor Watch.
Admiral is a Bob Howland—brave.
Ned Wakeman's Dream of heaven.
His capture of the murderer of his mate.
His 2-yr absence “practising” swearing.
Verses—“The Derelict.” & that other one.
A–7
5
Rev. Paxton Caleb Parsons. (Tom Beecher)
Enthusiast on “What god hath wrought.” (nick-name)
“People say, if he only could look out for his own
damnation & let other people's alone.
[may have been intended to follow “Washburn.”]
Ingersoll [circled] Washburn. Despiser of the human race's high & unwarranted opinion of itself,—enthusiast. Curious? he has been most fortunate (in the world's view) all his life & people can't understand his attitude—whereas it is the massed sufferings of the race that em- [begin page 459] bitters him, not his personal—(though theirs are his, & hence his sufferings).
(Pityer of the race, too.) The above.
Calls man a machine, & irresponsi[ble] [page torn]
Moved by (primarily) selfishness.
Does kindly things—takes them apart [&] [page torn] explains the selfish motive.
Wants to keep Smith at his job & away from whisky temptation—.
Also wants to send him home on a visit to Mary.
His father a pres. minister, himself another one a while—Vol. brigadier in war—good record—is infidel, now—Sunday lectures big crowds—splendidly hated—comes to che[er] [page torn] & help the Watch.
A–8
6
B
“Ad. don't care so much for
poets, but does for artists;” is
one himself.
Bos'n.
He's more'n that—he's a hell of an artist.
He furnished the name, Anchor Watch—because they've knocked off regular duty & are on deck to take care of the ship. Suppose it's only a couple—no matter, it's a good time for songs & yarns, & so in a good climate you'll find the rest there that are not on liberty—
How—on liberty?
Yes—ashore.
They go out with the Marchesa. [written]
[diagonally above “Martha.”]
Call hers Miss Jimmy & aunt Martha.
Was aboard at Jimmy's advent. Ad. rescued him in the Chinchas; shot in a few places & leg smashed—(knock from poop-deck porch—Ad. stood over him there), took him aboard, & he & Martha nursed him 4 weeks; then carried the lantern when Ad. arrested the man who killed his mate; also helped in the hanging.
Ad? Hasn't any particular religion. They're all grog to him. Sterilized Xn
How?
Thinks if you've they've got the right basis
[begin page 460]A–9
7
B [half-circled]
they'll all do. Mix 'em as much as you want to, they'll still be grog, & there ain't any bad grog.
Don't you know about his dream?
No.
Then don't ask him—he might be in the mood, & he mightn't. But he'll just naturally drop into it some time or other. When he is.
Has been with Ad nearly as long as Jimmy. He does not mention Ad's wife—he never saw her.
Considers Martha plum duff
Plum duff?
Yes—with extra raisins in it.
Describes plum duff. H
Have a “gam” with her when you can.
Ad always allowed a “20th lay.”
And didn't swindle on “slops.”
Jimmy is plum duff, too.
“That leg was a compound multiplex constipated fractionure —bones sticking up through, in a circle all around—as many as a dozen—like umbrellas in a stand.
Martha helps run the midnight mission.
A–10
8
Uncle Jim & the dissecting room
Strother, dipsomaniac
The Admiral? Well, he's a kind of a sterilized Xn. So that old chemist says.
How do you mean.
Well, one time & another he had all the germs in him of the 132 Xn sects, in him, but they are all killed out now & nothing left in him but the Golden Rule.
His dream.
[begin page 461]Maj. Gen. Dr. Wood's ? Well, his war record don't begin with his peace record, when it comes to killed & wounded.
Yes, we educate them at West Point & when war breaks out we officer the army with tailors & doctors—cousins of Congress you know.
Bos'n makes all the sarcasms—they are reported by hearers. When there is opportunity for one, put int in his mouth “as the bos'n says”
Explain Pessimist—Whichimist?
A–11
2
let the brontosaur go anonymous, we had to name it ourselves. The real truth is there was lots that he was not equal to naming & gave it up—like the dinotherium, the pterodactyl, the ornithorhyncus & all that family of protoplasmic plantigrades invertebrates.
He lived to be 920 & died poor. It shows that he hadn't any gift for business. No more than Satan. I put them on a level. If Jay Gould had been Adam he would have owned the planet. He would have got the apple, too, & no punishment, because he would have worked out a way to beat the judgment.
A–12
4
These patriots are never plenty in any country. They do not allow ass-Congresses & cabin & newspapers to dictate to them. They are at all times in a minority in the beginning.
The thing called P has 3 seeds.
Moral Courage
To what degree does it exist?
A–13
[page torn] Adullam. Hospi Asylum of the Ruined. Hospital of the Broken Reed.
[begin page 462][page torn] Comforter self. says no man to blame—no sin. The Pensioner. Came out of the war Br. Gen of Vols a manly man. Sent to Congress several years—rising ever in fame & value; supported the first pension bills—for the disabled, & later the widows & orphans of the killed—with enthusiasm. Violently attacked the later ones as being bribes for votes; was promptly turned down; deserted by friends & fortune, ruined followed. Is old, now & sorry he did it. Tried for years to get a pension; at last let in at 70 because 60 yr old. Is demoralized & pauperized—dreams only of further pensions.
[in margin next to “Comforter . . . pensions.”]
Author of a Philosoph [page torn] faield. Classed with Ro[page torn] & ruined. John Fillens. [or “Fillmo”] [page torn]
The Senator (H.). Same history, but finely successful, because he threw away his honor & supported Blaine; never recovered it, remained a slave to the party; tremendously zealous; outwardly not regretting; his furious speech on Philippine petition, showed that his mind was gone as well as his principles; kept in Senate as party reward, when old & imbecile. Envied by the Pensioner, who wished he had been wise.
In almost all cases life is a failure, & regretable, no matter which way you do.
Rev. Twichell & Rev. Smyth. Bulkley Senator. Former got his lesson & was saved by Hubbard. & accident. Latter got his lesson, but there was no accident to save him. Young then, old now; does hack-word for Foreign Board, is a despised & humble slave—wishes he had another chance, he would be wise this time, but his trespass is remembered & he can't get another pulpit.
Admiral the only optimist. Presently he is ruined.
[on verso]
incandescent
transubstantiation.
This group of working notes consists of six pages of tablet paper, numbered consecutively. Pages B-4 and B-5 are slightly narrower than the others, so they apparently were not part of the original tablet. The last [begin page 463] half of page B-6 is canceled with a wavy line down the center of the page, sometimes used by Mark Twain to indicate that he had made use of the material.
B–1
Talk
Thinks he's Satan. (Charley Clark) perfectly beautiful if not worn & lean. Intellectual. Beautiful eyes—in repose, sweet.
Bos'n. It could be that the A had partly in his mind the other Satan, without knowing it. At
Is he crazy?
Of course. Do you know anybody that ain't? This one is crazier than you or me—maybe—which isn't saying much. He is crazy on moral laws. Thinks he gets a commission of on tainted (legal) money, but wants to get it extended to fractured moral laws, so as to bring in Ament & Reed, & Order 78 & all other pensions after the first one. All are soiled, now, by the motive back of them, which is the same as the motive back of high tariffs—the one to buy the votes of the poor, the other those of the rich (factor) and the poor (his workmen, whom he can influence—& force.—
B–2
2
Moral law—under it he could collect from half-rate clergymen. He collects on shirkings of personal tax; on 9 out of $10 that go to Amer. Board—
(does a vast business—converts 3 Chinamen a day—only 33,000 born per day—will catch up by & by.
What drove him crazy?
He was a captain of police, & collected 15 pr cent on the business of the w h's in his district & on the cadets. It was discovered that he was not dividing with Croker—so he was “disgraced” & dismissed. He was [begin page 464] already getting crazy through money-lust, & that finished him. They first noticed it on the 30 pieces. He had the idea that more than 18 centuries'
B–3
3
interest was due, & he kept calculating & compounding it & laying before lawyers to help him collect it or tell him where to apply. He is always calculating it & worrying over it.
Nobody is more pitied than he. He was a fine & honorable man before he got on the police & fell under the money-lust influence—at a good time, for he had lost all but his little daughter, he was bound up in her, & no way to save her but send her to Davos; he sent her, with a woman who kept wanting more & more money; & finally when he was disgraced & was going to her for comfort, came a cable she was dead—from the commune, then a letter explaining she was deserted in her extremity by the woman, who had gone off with a courier. Buried by the commune. Always saying if he had had his % on 30 pcs he would have been rich, & been with her himself.
“It seems curious, but money-lust
B–4
4
Pension-crank, Corporal Plunkett.
often originates in the heart, about as often as not in the head.
Likes the monument-pension scheme—he can collect on that. It fires him.
First offered American Board 5% to use its help him collect on 30 pc.—then 10—then a point at a time—is up to 20 now.
Wants to go on, with Congress & the Party, raking (violating) the graveyards to get more pensioners.
P
Thinks he is entitled to 10% on the monument-pensions, & disputes with the crazy Pension-Crank, who recognizes the value of his influence with Congress, but wants to beat him down to 2%
[begin page 465]“I'll agree, if you'll get Congress to assume the 30 pc interest. Is willing to throw off the principal.
Pension-Crank is ancient bounty-jumper.
B–5
5
C. W. veteran with a good war record who was debauched by pensions & turned into a ravenous beggar for them & made crazy. He has pensions for
1. Being a soldier
2. Wounded in battle
3. Sick in hospital
4. Permanently disabled by falling down stairs at pension office.—(broke 3d finger of left hand.)
4½ For being 60 yrs old—& a voter.
5. Father a sutler in Mex. war
6. GrandFather a sutler in Seminole war.
10 two uncles helping in both
14 Some grandfathers in '12.
18 Some grandfathers in Revolun.
22 Some grandfathers Boston Massacre
26 Some grandfathers died in the Mayflower
16 Assortment of grandmother connected with above.
17 They lost a cat, previously.
Has children, grand-ch & 1 gr-gr, already pensioned.
Hopes to have a widow soon.
Thinks he is descended from one of the Roman soldiers at Xn & is willing to pool interests with 30 p.c of equal date—maybe one day's difference (in his favor.)
B–6
6
60-year pensions to all who were not in the war, but who can prove that they have voted right—
or
will vote right in the future.
[begin page 466]These to descend to posterity. G. A R
of 300,000,000, all ravenous for pensions.
It will then be no longer a discredit
to belong to it.
Rockefeller's $100,000.
Shall we receive tainted money for the monument? Yes, there being no other kind.
If Satan should offer money for bread tofor my starving child I would take it & thank him—
but if offered for the saving of another the child's soul, that would be another matter. In that case
1. In the first case I should know that his motive was, to advertise his benevolence & soften people's acrimony—a permissible thing
Group A
This short group of working notes is written on the front and back covers of a “Par Value” tablet. Most of the notes on the front cover, A–1, were written in pencil; a few notes on it and most of those on the back cover are in faded blue ink.
A–1
liquefies on Eddymas
mas, Xmas
Holy Eddiypus = from Eddy, name; pus, meaning now lost
—together mean World-Empire
—pus, 2 a healing ointment, 1 precious exudation: [canceled in ink] the sacred phial of it is liquefied by miracle on the Eddybirthday—Xmas
—every year, & millions come to see—$5 a ticket—& worship.
Eddymania.
Eddymush, the language
Coat of arms—Golden Calf
625 titled Amer girls in Europe?
Great Seal—the dollar.
Old Comradeships.
Get a history of the Saints
Show an Excommunican
Science forbidden & Education
All necessary science is Eddygush (religion) the only true
All needful education is in Science & Health
Education is by decree called Eddycation
150/00
Eddygas = inspiration
100/00
Eddydrivel
China alone keeps her name & is not part of Holy Eddypus. Drove out all foreigners & missionaries.
The “Golden Rule”—what could it have been. Supposed to have been, “Intrude where are not wanted; stay where not welcome.
Or, “Intrude upon these as we would not allow them to intrude upon us.”
[begin page 468]A–2
✓ mas
✓ mush—the language—Adoration of Our M
✓ Eddygush ”sacred to the priestly order
✓ slush —poetical portions of the Eddygraph
✓ gas—Scientific Statement of Being The Spoon.
bank
bunk
blend
✓ cation
cant [a line drawn to “Scientific,” above]
The blink—
fication, the building up of the Faith
olatry worship of the Founder
cal (medical)
plunk (dollar)
gas—incense
quack
ring (cabinet) Popeapal
rist (reader & pro expounder of Sci & H
phone (for receiving revelations
graph (things she wrote—the sacred writings
cash (rom ready cash—basis of Xn Cc
slug, teacher, Expounder [a line drawn in margin to “rist,” above]
cat, one who cates—teacher, catechiser
tor—who mends the grammar &c of S & H
torial, the Great Eulogy on the birth-day
made
mule, one immovable in the faith
milk, little holy tales of her for children
vine, formerly divine—sacred to priest
water, holy water
wax for candle-vows
whopper, private name for E. miracles
[in margin]
Boston, Eddybunk Eddyflats
[begin page 469]These working notes, written on both sides of a “Par Value” tablet cover, are written in two inks. Most of the notes on the recto are in the same faded black ink used for the manuscripts of Book 1 and parts of Book 2; apparently they were written after Mark Twain began Book 1, since the title “Old Comrades,” mentioned in the notes, is “Old Comradeships” early in Book 1. The remainder of the notes are in a bright blue ink not used in the manuscript of “Eddypus.”
B–1
| Last C. S. Pope was XXIV, AM 219–226—7 years. | 24 |
| First male, was R. C. Pope (Pius XII) till full Pope XXV, 226 | 7 |
| C. S. supremacy dates from 226—then A.M assumed, | 168 |
| everywhere & dated back to 1865; it had been in | 20 |
| used by C. S. m since about 100, but not recognized by others, who still used A.D. | 3,360 |
“Old Comrades discovered 981—20 years ago (I helped translate it.)
All slaves are Church property, & leased. saleable for life—but not the future children
Motherday—sunday
B–2
| Buffon dis. quad. have 4 legs. proved it on rats, &c. & was made Mem. Institute. (Head.) | Cuvier dis. that mammals do not lay eggs. Ornotho-had not been disc. then. Whale not a fish |
Sherlock Holmes.
Bunsen
Martin Luther said fossils were artificial. He built a cathedral out of worms.
[begin page 470]The poor built Chs & Monuments, no protection-fed M contrib to McKin mon.
Gould—first to get r. by theft.—he followed Cal
Stanton $20M
Rocke10M Chic.
Carnegie, 100 lib & 10M in Scot.
Vand. nigger college.
German's loving-cup
Wedding: Xmas pres.
& birthday.
Lincoln
Grant
Sherm—Shern.
Bessemer
Cal. gold & Australia—
This starts the materialising ball—word came back of sudden riches. This had never previously occurred save in fairy tales.
[perpendicular to previous entries]
The Start
Benton—Pac. RR.—only 3 rich men then, of very humble origin: Astoria, skins, Girard. (college—stolen) Vand. boating—1 in Cin (Long-worth)—1 in N.O., Jew., not another in Amer. Vand. first to consolidate a trust. Gould followed the CIVIL WAR & California sudden-riches disease with a worse one, s. r. by swindling & buying courts. Cal. & Gould were the beginners of the moral rot, they were the worst things that ever befel Amer; they created the hunger for wealth when the Gr. Civ. had just completed its youth & its ennobling WAR—strong, pure, clean, ambitious, impressionable—ready to make choice of a life-course & move with a rush; they & circumstances determined the choice. Remark of young broker about Gould in Lotos billiard. Circumst. after Vand. wrought railways into systems; then Standard Oil; Steel Trust.; & Carnegie. CALIF—causes Pac. R.R. UNCLE TOM WAR TELEGRAPH. to restrict slavery—Circum. abolished it. GOULD, R. by theft.—R.R. wrecker & buyer of courts. CABLE. CONSOLIDATION invented by Vander. Other RRs follow. STAND. O. begins CON of Manufac. FILIPINE & S. A.–CHINA MORGAN consolidates, steel, copper, cables, [begin page 471] ships, the WORLD's commerce—Europe began to decline. Alliance with Rome—FRIARS.—Protestant distress. Consol. NEWSP. Editorials (40,000 w. an hour—sent to all journals from Morgan's office. The new Morgan a Catholic. WORRY. That Ch growing. All politicians in his pay (a national Tammany). Conventions, both State & National, a formula. Candidates named, & ordered to be elected. POhio ordered to be Democratic. Army & Navy under Morgan—officers at his command. Cath. strong; Prot. weak; Xn spreading. Xn welcome, as the only possible Savior from Cath. The struggle is now on. Morgan meditates a monarchy—800 Amer. duchesses &c abroad. It is found out, & all the common people go over to Xn—common soldiers & sailors too, by command of second(?) Xn Pope.
Most of these working notes, written on the recto of a “Par Value” tablet cover, are in the faded blue ink used for parts of the manuscript of Book 2 and revisions in Book 1; the notes in ink were canceled; the rest are written in pencil. “SUSY” was printed in a large uneven hand. “The Czar's Soliloquy,” written at the bottom of the page, may indicate that the tablet once contained that piece. It was published in March 1905 in the North American Review, and the manuscript is not known to have survived. Paine's note “About 1905 or later” which appears at the top of the cover probably refers to that piece rather than to the “Eddypus” working notes.
C–1
Clover. Be another flood & others. Average of life 1000 yr. Geology shows 1,000,000 years—fossils to tell its age by. Webster, Snakspeer, Apollyon Prodigy, Pitt
General average of pulpit &c raised, but no supremacies any more—no great book or statesman.
Religion become perfunctory—xn Science & Health—hence a flood. xn S. will come again & in 2300 yrs will be supreme—then another flood.
Gospel of Selfishness.
[begin page 472]Adam died 930.
Discov. of America, yr 314
Eve dies 1032? 972.
Decay of civilizan begins then: spread of Xn Sci. Religious wars produced. By 1200 civ. is dead, & Xn S with it. Savagery till ressurec of Xn S—flood results.
No trade for life ins. except insuring the Ins. Companies.
Ruined monument to Adam. A savage discourses upon it.
SUSY
Condemned
The Czar's Soliloquy [written over “Condemned”]
[in margin]
PopoatahualIpacatapetl I
II
pronounced pie-crust
necess [unrecovered words]