ABSTRACT
MarkTwainbelongstoasomewhatdifferentschoolofwritersfrom MissYonge,andTomSawyerisacharacteristicproductionofhis genius.Werecognizethegermofitinthestoriesofthegoodandbad littleboys,whichwentsomewaytowardsmakingtheirauthor's popularity.TomSawyer,aswearctoldinthePreface,isintended primarilyfortheamusementofchildren,butitishopedthat'itwill notbeshunnedbymenandwomenonthataccount,forpartofmy planhasbeentotrypleasantlytoremindadultsofwhattheyoncewere themselves.'Howf.'lrMasterSawyer'seccentricexperiencesmaycome homeinthatwaytoAmericancitizenswecannotpretendtosay.To ourEnglishnotions,Tomappearstohavebeenaportentousphenomenon,andhiseventfulcareerexhibitsanunprecedentedprecocity. Hisconceptionswereasromanticastheirexecutionwasaudacious. Holdingallsedentaryoccupationsinaversion,hiscastofthoughtwas asoriginalashisquaintfelicityofpicturesqueexpression.Wearevery suretherearenosuchboysinthiscountry,andevenintheStatesit maybesupposedthatthebreedhasbeendyingout,forfullymore thanagenerationhasgonebysinceTomwasthegloryandplagueof hisnativevillageontheMississippi.Hisremarkabletalentformischief wouldhavemadehimanintolerablethorninthefleshoftheauntwho actedasamothertohimhaditnotbeenthathispranksandmisconduct endearedhimtothatmuch-enduringwoman.'Cuteness'isscarcelythe wordforTom'singrainedartfulness.Take,bywayofexample,one ofhisearliestachievements.Heiscaughtbyhisauntinsomeflagrant delict,andcondemnedtowhitewashthefencethatrunsinfrontofher cottage.Tomhadplannedtomakeoneofaswimmingparty,and, whatismore,heknowsthathewillbejeeredbyhisplaymates,and contemptisintolerabletohissoaringspirit.So,whenheseesI3en
Rogers, whose satire he stands most in dread of, come puffmg along the road, personating a high-pressure steamer, Tom buckles himself to his task with a will. He is so absorbed, in fact, in artistic enthusiasm that Ben's ribald mockery falls on unheeding ears, and Tom has actually to be twitched by the jacket before he turns to recognize his friend. Ere long Ben, who was bound for the river, is begging and praying to be permitted to have a turn with the brush. Tom is slow to be persuaded; had it been the back fence it might have been different, but his aunt is awful particular about this front one-
Ben, I'd like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly-well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn't let him. Sid wanted to do it, but she wouldn't let Sid. Now, don't you see how I'm fixed? If you was to tackle this fence and anything was to happen to it.
