New-York tribune., 1899-06-10
MARK TWAIN'S REQUEST.
THE BOOK HE PROPOSES TO LEAVE TO POS
TERITY.

THE BOOK HE PROPOSES TO LEAVE TO POS
TERITY.
Vienna correspondence of The London Times.
MT Samuel Langhorne Clemens Mark Twain)
has been obliged to postpone mis- departure from
Vienna until the 26th inst. in consequence of a
fatterng communication which has just been
made to him through the United States Minister,
Mr. Addison Harris The Emperor Francis Jo-
seph will receive the distinguished American
author in audience on Thursday next. Mark
Twain, whose works have long We'd in popular
lty in the German-speaking countries with those
of the best-known native contemporary writer's
has, during his two years stay in the Kaiser
stadt, become quite a familiar and welcome
figure to the humor-oving Viennese and great
favorite in Austrian society. The American col
Ony, headed by the official representatives of the
United States have missed opportunity of
doing honor TO transatlantic literature in his
| person, while all classes ia Vienna have been
eager TO welcome writer who is not only a
| prophet in his own county. but whose name is
one TO conjure with among gentle and simple,
! from schoolboys TO cOurtiers and princes, in the
| lands of the German tongue. 1t may be fairly
| said that the prestige OF literature has been
considerably enhanced when, as in this instance.
| It's representative may take formal leave of the
| CHEF of State of which he has been the guest.
| particularly when that chief is the head OF the
House of Hapsburg and that State Austria. The
american newspapers have been calling Mr..
| Clemens "the Ambassador at large of the u S.
| A.; but humorists In their hours of relaxation
have a habit of taking jokes seriously. That
apparently is Mark Twain's way. Mr.. Clemens
and his family who will reach London about the
| beginning of June, will probably spend couple
| OF months in England prior to their return TO
| America. In October.
| Mr.. Clemens has kindly given me permission TO
| telegraph to THE Times some particulars of a
| pet scheme of his TO which he has already de-
voted great deal OF his time and which will oc-
| cupy great part of the remainder OF his life
| In some respects IL VIII be unparalleled In the
| history OF literature. 1t is bequest to poster
| lty, in which none of those living and COM
paratively few OF their grandchildren even will
have any part or share This is a work which Ia
only to be published one hundred years after his
death as a portrait gallery of contemporaries
with whom he has come into personal contact
These are drawn solely for his own pleasure In
the work. and with the single object OF telling
the truth the whole truth and nothing but the
truth, without malice and to no grudge
but, at the same time, without respect OF per-
sons or social conventions, institutions or pru.
dertes Of any kind. These portraits OF men and
women, painted with all their warts as well az
with every attractive feature which has caugh,
his eye, will not be written In the style OF Mark
Twain's books, which their author anticipates
will be forgotten by the time his gallery is pub
llshed. Amy humor they may contain will be en-
tlrely unsought. Ii must be inherent In the sub
ject II II is TO appear In the portrait.
In Mr.. Clemens's opinion, a work of the kind
he proposes Is only possible under the condition,