The New York herald., 1922-12-10

T F there is any American author who
deserves the final honor OF the
-definitive edition" il Is Mark Twain.
In the case of a great writer. who is
widely popular as well. the tendency Of
the Immediately succeeding generation
= 10 demand everything the writer has
put forth. They want al the cards lad
on the tahle-for inspection. rating and
mai analysis volume might be written
on this faseinating topic. TO what ex-
tent is II iussifiable 10 spread before the
eyes OF 10 pablie all that writer has left
behind-much Of which is known to be.
both by critical standards and in the light OF
the writer's own action. ephemeral and
unworthy Of preservation?" We shall not
stop 10 daily with this perennially fas-
cinating question. In general, / would
lay down the general principle that any
thing which the author has printed and
has not suppressed as forbidden republica-
Iion is fair game for the editor of a
"definitive edition. The truth cannot
hurt an author, if he is genius; it can
only demonstrate the familiar statement:
Homer nods." Not Goethe, Shakespeare,
Ibsen was always on the heights-their
work is as irregular in it's quality and
rhythm is nature, life itself. So we well
come the appearance of this "definitive
edition of Mark Twain-which we owe
to the fine spirit and undimmed enthusi-
asm of Mr. Gabriel Wells, who has already
laid us all under obligations by his mag
nificent editions of Joseph Conrad and o.
Henry.
We welcome this edition because of
its beauty and elegance. We welcome it
because it contains two volumes of alb
soutely unpublished materials We need
not expect that the contents of these two
volumes will measure up in quality to
the best of Mark Twain-to tom Saw
yer" "Huckleberry Finn" "a Connecticut
Yankee in King Arthur's Court" or that
masterpiece in little %The Man that Cor
rupted Hadleyburg" The corroding
touch of time, the lapse of interest i'm the
ephemeral part of his writings, will nat
urally operate to diminish the great bulk
of his writings. But we are glad to have
two new volumes-full of characteristic
essays and speeches-which shall kindle
anew the uproarious spirit of hiiarity
aroused by "The Innocents Abroad. "
"Roughing it," The Jumping Frog OF
Calaveras County, and those inimitable
Sketches 50 eharacteristically Western
America. 50 essentially Mark Twain "
We welcome this edition because Mr.. Wells
has shown the good Judgment 70 include
among The thirty voIumes-ten more
than are found ia the s.iginal Harper's
complete edition Bissiow Palne's hiesra-
ply a historical work ~ great reverence
extended over four volumes. and MARI
Tuain's letters. arranged - Paine. if
two volumes
Nos of all. We Weieaane fhis esiifiaf
Iecauss il smaedles ths fslnumeni - !
ferrent Ssh - ghe iausnfea ssuauel n
eaeuea~. D. an annoanesnleng II the esii
tlon. we resrf. @It was Msrk Tssiul
sssasf rherished dsslre that 4 defnffiv,
4nd conpis5e esiilian oi Hls entire Hterarl
oaspui b. pabizhed Wah fhls end Il
view. shurtiy before his aeafh. he ute
sraphea With his signature f.ozf sheet
whlch should - ineersed 10 fhe mrs
volume af saeh an edltlsn - his works
when q might APPEAR. These aatogrsshes
sheets were 80 carefully and hsrfnsticalil
preserved that their very existence val
lost sight 81 until quite recently. when a.
inventory disclosed them. This fortultou
discovery msde possible the fulnnment O
Mark Twain1s ambition. a project whicl