In a message dated 9/29/2006 5:21:10 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

If you  check the online Union Catalog of Letters to Clemens  at:

http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/MTP/twcorr.html

you will see  that Twain was back in New York in January of 1868
and could have met Nast  then.  If you rely strictly on Twain's
memory without other supporting  evidence, you may get thrown
off track from time to  time.

Barb



Barb, thanks for your help. No, I wasn't relying  strictly on Twain's
memory,
but since I hadn't found any other supporting  documentation of an actual
meeting in 1868 (this one you offer is of Nast's  idea of a combined
"lecture"),
I'd hoped to find support for a  1870 meeting. I may need to look more into
Nast's whereabouts to see when  and where the two were even together. Was
Nast
in Washington in 1868 or 1870?  Where did he work from? Did he travel back
and
forth to Washington from NY?

I had assumed from my reading that Nast worked from  NY. Your quote states
his exhibition was in NY.

Sam Clemens created self-myth in both the image he  projected as "Mark
Twain," and had an extremely faulty memory on certain  things--of this I'm
well
aware. In the absence of any other sources and without  conflicting
information,
however, biographers and researchers have little  choice, it seems to me, to
begin at least with his memory and try to support or  disprove it.

I've worked decades in genealogical research, where  "guesses" and "leaps"
have often marred the truth, if it is even  knowable. On my current work, I
refuse to guess, but if there are varying  theories or estimates, I try to
present
them. There are many such estimates in  the sources I'm using.  Not to bore
the group with my approach, but it is  NOT to wade into primary sources to a
great extent, or to retread areas where  many other noteworthy researchers
have
spent lifetimes to give us volumes of  information. My aim is to extract
from
what has been printed or is available,  and to present in paraphrased or
distilled form, the essence of Sam--his  writing, thinking, and daily life.
This is
a huge undertaking. I am using the  multi-volume UofCal Mark Twain's Letters
as a baseline. This involves not only  reading each letter but each note,
and
then adding other works, of which there  are many--I was thinking of posting
the Works Cited to date and asking for  additional suggestions. I've also
scanned a few journals which contain a few  day-by-day segments, such as
Sam's
worldwide trip in 1895.

I appreciate the great resource of twainquotes and  your work and help. I
doubt that I've even yet covered all of your website.  Perhaps when I'm a
bit
further along you might care to review some of my MS. and  offer pointers. I
note
that there are many others here far more learned and  qualified than I in
Sam's life and times. What I have is the time, the interest,  and the
persistence
to work at the task daily for 4-8 hours at a time. I'm a 63  year old,
retired college writing instructor. I know that no matter what sort of
rigor I give
this project that there will inevitably be errors and omissions. My  purpose
is to create a research reference, which might also be a way for the
general
reader to gain more intimate understanding of the man and his times than
would be possible by reading a few biographies. If my approach or purposes
are
misinformed, I would appreciate any correction this group might offer.

Such questions as the date and place of Sam's meeting  with certain persons
such as Thomas Nast may be unanswerable. If all I have is  Sam's memory, it
would be deluded to omit it on any grounds. If I can find other  sources, I
will
then present both. So far, I have only one time, that is  November of 1870
(U
of Cal MT's letters say "fall 1870"), and still do not have  the place
penned
down. I suppose it's possible that Nast may have been in any  number of
towns
where Sam lectured during these years. I will examine Paine's  work and
notes
on Nast at the soonest opportunity. Here we have a biographer who  produced
works on both men, and if there is a recorded date & place, one  would think
he
would have known it.

Thanks again. This is a great group. I welcome all  input. Private emails
are
also welcome.

David H  Fears