The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-24

The Man That Corrupted Fadleyburg,
and Other Stories and Essays" is the
somewhat cumbrous title 90 Mark Twain S
latest book. Ii 1t were hot for the unas-
sailable reputation of the author the title
would probably kill the book, but the fact
that it is Mark Twain's work viii be all
that is necessary TO mention. 1t is of no
consequence whether the buyer can ramem-
Der the name five minutes after he has pur-
chased it or not
There are fifteen stories and essays in
all, gathered from various periodicals in
which they have appeared from time TO
time during the last two or three years
Among them are my Debut as a Literary
Person., AT the Appetite Cure My
| First Lie, and How / Got Out of 1t. - The
Esquimau Aiaiden's Romance How to
Tell story Concerning the Jews" and
The Private History of the Jumping
| Frog Story" 1t is rather heterogeneous
collection, but loses nothing from that
fact. The variety only makes it more
amusing.
Although from purely literary point of
view this book does not, of course, com
! pare with two or three of the authors
| earlier and more famous works, it is per-
! haps more interesting than any of them as
L.
4 true humorist is almost always philos-
opher-he must be. But the philosophical
insight which was evident here and there
in the earlier writings Of Mark Twain is
Increasingly shown in this miscellaneous
collection of shrewd satires, keen com
ment and analysis, and clever character
sketches.
One or two of the essays are almost en-
tirely serious in time, with only touch
OF humor here and there. Among these is
Concerning the Jews in which the rae
ial characteristics of the Jewish people
are discussed. with view of discovering
the reason of the prejudice against the
type The article attracted wide atten-
tion when it was published in "Harper's
Magazine and was generally recognized
as being the only mastery and adequate
presentation Of the subject in literature
My First Lie, and How ! Got Out of
It., has 4 broader application, being, in
fact, discourse on truthfulness. and an
incorporating presentation Of the fact
that most people are liars in intention If
not in fact. In fact. Mr.. Clemens admits
of absolutely no exceptions to this rule.
4 His arraigument Of untruthfulness is one
Of the most scorching sermons that Was
ever preached in the guise Of humor
part OF 1t IS as follows:
90 not remember my first lie, il WAS too In
back; bGt | remember my second ono vlIy we'll
/ Was i.lne day old a the time, and had noticed
that a pin sticking ana ! advertised il
in the usual fashion. ! was lovingly pgtted and
codalcd and plticd in a most agreeable way, and
got ration between meals besides.
IL human nature to want 10 gct these
riches, and | iril. lied about the piE-adver
tisiuz Gle when there wasn't any. You would
have done il, george Washington did it, any
body would have done II. During the first half
OF my Lille never knew child t.at was able to
rise above HAT temptation and keep from telling
that lie. Up to l6ti all the civilized children
that were ever born into the world were liars
iucludiI,. George. Then the safoty-pin came IN
and blocked the game. But is that reform worth
ans thing! No; iur it IS reform by force and has
no virtue in Il; 1t merely stops thai form Of
lying; IL dOeSnt impair the disposition TO lie by
shade. II Is the cradle application Of conversion
by fire and sword. or Of the temperance principle
through prohibition
To return to that carly lie. They found no pin
aud they realized that another liar had heen
added 70 tie worlds supply. For by grace of
rare inspiration quite commonplace but seldom
noticed fact was borne in upon their understand
ings-thst almost ali lies acts, and speech
has no part in them. Then, it they examined a
little further they recognized that all people are
liars from the cradle onward, without exec ption.
! am speaking Of the lie OF silent asscr-
tion; can tell it without saying a word, and
NC all DO tive that know. In the magnitude Of
its territorial spread it Is one OF the most ma
iesic lies that the civilizations make it their |
sacred and anxious care to guard and watch and
propagate.
For instance, it would not be possible for a |
humane and intelligent person invent rational
excuse for slavery; yet you will remember that |
in the carly days Of the emancipation agitation |
in the North the agitatprs got hut small HELM or |
couutcnaucr from any orc. Argue and plead and |
pray as they might, they could not break the |
universal stiffness that r,i-ned, from pulpit and |
press al the way down 10 the bottom q society |
the claminy Stiffness created and maintained by |
the lie Of silent as=eriion-the silent assertion |
that there wasn't Snything going in which |
humane and intelligent people were interested |
The universal conspiracy OF the silent |
assertion lie is hard at work always and every |
where and always IN the interest OF a stupidity or |
sham. never in the interest Of thing fine or |
respectable. Is II the most timid and shabby OF |
all lies? II seems 10 have the look OF it. For |
ages mud ages, 1t has mutely labored in the in |
tercst oil despctisms and arstocracics and chattel
slaveries. and military savcries, and religious |
sla,cries, and las kept them alive; keeps them
alive yet here and there and yonder, all about |
ihe globe: and will 20 on keeping them alive |
until "a. sils.i-a----.;- ~ r>is,-~ 49, hs.'7--v