ABSTRACT
IsupposethatMarkTwaintranscendsallotherAmericanhumorists intheuniversalqualities.Hedealsverylittlewiththepathetic,which heneverthelessknowsverywellhowtomanage,ashehasshown, notablyinthetruestoryoftheoldslave-mother;butthereisapoetic liftinhiswork,evenwhenhepermitsyoutorecognizeitonlyas somethingsatirized.Thereisalwaysthetouchofnature,thepresence ofasincereandfrankmanlinessinwhathesays,thecompanionshipof aspiritwhichisatoncedelightfullyopenanddeliciouslyshrewd. ElsewhereIhavetriedtopersuadethereaderthathishumorisatits bestthefoamybreakofthestrongtideofearnestnessinhim.Butit wouldbelimitinghimunjustlytodescribehimasasatirist;anditis hardlypracticabletoestablishhiminpeople'smindsasamoralist;he hasmadethemlaughtoolong;theywillnotbelievehimserious;they thinksomejokeisalwaysintended.Thisisthepenalty,asDr.Holmes haspointedout,ofmakingone'sfirstsuccessasahumorist.Therewas apaperofMarkTwain'sprintedintheAtla11ticMo11thlysomeyears agoandcalled,'TheFactsconcerningthelateCarnivalofCrimein Connecticut,'whichoughttohavewonpopularrecognitionofthe ethicalintelligencewhichunderlieshishumor.Itwas,ofcourse,funny; butunderthefunitwasanimpassionedstudyofthehumanconscience. HawthorneorBunyanmighthavebeenproudtoimaginethatpowerfulallegorywhichhadagrotesqueforcefarbeyondeitherofthem. IthadbeenreadbeforealiteraryclubinHartford;areverendgentle-
manhadofferedtheauthorhispulpitforthenextSundayifhewould giveitasahomilythere.YetitquitefailedoftheresponseIhadhoped forit,andIshallnotinsisthereuponMarkTwainasamoralist;though Iwarnthereaderthatifheleavesoutoftheaccountanindignantsense ofrightandwrong,ascornofallaffectationandpretense,anardent hateofmeannessandinjustice,hewillcomeindefinitelyshortof knowingMarkTwain.
