ABSTRACT
ThereissomethingunutterablypatheticaboutabooklikeMark Twain'sExtractsfromAdam'sDiary.Itshowsjusthowfaramanwho wasonceagreathmnouristcanfall.Wethoughtwhenweread'A Double-BarrelledDetectiveStory'thatMarkTwaincoulddono worse.Butwewerewrong.Theotherbookmayhavebeenmore ridiculous;butthisoneismorepitiable.Weglanceatthepaper wrapper;weseetheadvertisementofthe'CompleteWorksofMark Twain';wereadthetitles:TlzeAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn,The JumpingFrogofCalaveras,LifeontheMississippi,TlzeGildedAge,The ImlocetttsAbroad,TheAdveuturesofTomSawyer,andweremembera manwhothroughthesheerstrengthandoriginalityofhisgeniuswon theworld'slaughter.ThenwereadExtractsfromAdam'sDiary.Had theseExtractsbeenwrittenbyamanwithoutagreatname,noamount of'pull'oradroitargumentwouldhaveenabledhimtopalmthem offonafirst-classmetropolitandailyas'SundaySpecial'matter.
