New-York tribune., 1910-04-23
SECRET BOOK
Humorist Wrote One Serious
Work on Religion for Friends.
ONLY 250 COPIES PRINTED
Volume, Issued Anonymously in
1906, Goes Deep Into
Philosophy.

Samuel L. Clemens, known through
out the world as a humorous writer
turned once from that path to write n
book OF serious philosophical thought on
the subject Of the machine-like character
of mortal mind. particularly with regard
TO religious beliefs. Two hundred and
fifty copies only OF the book We're
printed. by the De Vinne Press. and the
numbered copies came unheralded to
something more than two hundred Of
the great humorist's friends.
What Is MANI" was the title. and the
only inscription on the book cover and
inside. in small type, was printed.
Copyright. 1906. by j. W. Boutwell,"
Mark Twain's friends. however. knew
who had written the book. and some
Of the closest of them knew that
the author. discouraged because the
world always wanted to make a joke OF
whatever he wrote or spoke. took the
anonymous method of putting his
thoughts before them. so that if the
identity OF the author ever had leaked
out in his lifetime there would have been
nothing on which to establish proof. A
Irefatory note. unsigned like the book
itself, read as follows:
February. 1895. The studies for these
papers Were begun twenty-five or twenty
seven years ago. The papers were written
seven years ago. ] have examined them
once or twice per year since and found
them satisfactory. have Just examined
them again, and am still satisfied that they
speak the truth.
Every thought in them has been thought
(and accepted as unassailable TRUTH by
millions upon millions Of men-and con-
cealed, kept private. Why did they not
could lot bear the disapprOval Of the peo-
pie around them Why have ! not pub
hshed? The same reason has restrained
me, think. I can find no other.
What Is MANI" was written by
Mark Twain" at odd times from 1850
TO 1906. In 1906 he had an edition Of
80 copies sumptuously printed by De
Nirne and distributed 10 friends. The
book sets forth in the form Of dia-
logue between Young cIsn and an Old
Man its authors notions of the inner
springs OF human character. Midway
in the book. which has 40 pages. is a
brief list Of the principal religious faiths
Of the world.
About Truth Seeking.
Here the OLD Man remarks:
That list of sects is not a record Of
studies. searchings. seekings after light.
il mainly and sarcasticallyC indicates what
association can do. II YOU know mans
nationality you can come within split
ligicn: English, Protestant: Amercan.
ditto. Spanish, Frenchman. 1rishnan, Ital-
ian. South American. Austrian. Roman
Catholic; Russian, Greek Catholic; Turk.
Mohametan. and on. And when you
know the mans religious complexion you
know what sort - religious books he reads
when he wants some more light and what
sort Of books he avoids lest by accident he
get more light than be wants. In America
II you know which party collar A voter
wears you know what his associations are
and how he came by his politics and which
breed of newspapers ne reads 10 get light:
and which breed he diligently avoids. and
which breed OF mass meetings he attends
i'm order to broaden his political knowledge.
and which breed OF mass meetings he does
not attend. except 10 refUte its doctrines
with brickba1s- We are always hearing or
people who are around seeking after truth-
7 haze never seen q Cpermanent specimen.
7 think he has never lived. But have seen
several entirely sincere people who thought
they were t7ermanent seekers after truth
They sought diligently. persiStently, care
fully. cautiously, profoundly, with perfect
honesty and nicely adjusted Judgment
until they believed that without doubt or
question they had found the truth. That
was the end OF the search. The man spent
the rest Of his life hunting UP shingles
q WhereW1th 10 protect ms truth from tne
weather. II he was seeking after political
truth he found n m one or another OF the
hundred political gospels which govern men
ir the earth: II he was seeking after the
only true religion he found II in one or an
other Of the three thousand that are in the
market. In any case, when ne found the
truth he sough: no further. but from that
dav forth. with hrs soldering iron in ono
hand and his b'udgeon in tho other he
tiukercd it, leaks and reasoned with oh
5ectors. There have been innumcrabl bic TEN
pOrarn seekers after truth-have YOU ever
heard OF permanent one? In the very
nature Of man such a person Is impossible.
However. % drop back to the teXt-train-
ing. ali training Is one form or another ot
outside influence. and association i the
largest part Il II. man Is never anything
h,lt what his outside influences have made
him They train him downward or they
train him upws rd-hut they train him; they
are at work upon him all the time
Beliefs and Temperaments.
.l.n .Laac Of IL. di.cnssln1 The Old