Dear Forum --
        I've been asked about the following quotation: "I
need a quote from Mark Twain (I think) about the
declensions of Latin nouns.  It goes
something like this: 'I would rather decline a beer than a
Latin noun.'  Could you verify/correct this quote?"
        It rings a bell (though I wonder if it wasn't about
German rather than Latin?) but I can't say for sure if it's
the real McTwain.  Can any of you help?  Is it Twain's? and
if so, where is it from?  Thanks, Steve Railton