I don't know of a Twain quote that goes straight to the point of "smart
people think as I do," but one book is sprinkled with examples of people
giving new respect to the person who says what they want to hear.

Shortly after the court scene in Joan of Arc, she tells the Dauphin that he
is the rightful heir to the throne of France. He wanted to believe her, and
did, which gave Joan high standing in his eyes, and gave him the fortitude
to put his military under her command.

In Chapter IV, a madman startled and threatened a group of village
children. All had acted fearfully and cowardly except young Joan, who had
been courageous. The children were lamenting their comparative shortcomings
until one of them, the village braggart, Paladin, began boasting about what
he could have done, what he would have done if he'd wanted, and surely what
brave things he would do the next time. As he talked, the others put in a
word from time to time about the marvels they could do as well, and by the
end of it, all had a finer opinion of themselves than ever before.

Throughout the book, Joan's voice says the French they could be rid of
their English oppressors. Without her voice and the willingness of
shepherd, wheelwright, soldier and king to believe what she said, it could
not have happened.

Rod Rawlings
(941) 713-4446 Direct
On Mon, Jan 23, 2017 at 3:31 PM, JULES AUSTIN HOJNOWSKI <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Nope, not in that book
> Jules
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alan Kitty
> Sent: Monday, January 23, 2017 2:31 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: a question regarding intelligence
>
> What about the courtroom scene in Colonel Sellers?  I don't recall if that
> =
> s=3D cene also appeared in Gilded Age. These references assume of course
> th=
> at a "=3D book" also might include a play.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jan 23, 2017, at 1:50 PM, JULES AUSTIN HOJNOWSKI=20
> > <[log in to unmask]> wr=3D
> ote:
> >=3D20
> > The only book I can think of that had a court in it is the c. yankee=20
> >one  And I brought up the text or that book on my computer and did a=20
> >search and=3D
>  =3D3D
> > that phrase does not come up in that book.  I do not recall any of his=20
> > oth=3D
> e=3D3D
> > r works have a court scene in it.
> >=3D20
> > I am not sure that he wrote it. But I could be mistaken ;)
> >=3D20
> > Good luck.
> > Jules
> >=3D20
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Allen=20
> >Brafma=3D
> n
> > Sent: Monday, January 23, 2017 12:12 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: a question regarding intelligence
> >=3D20
> > someone please remind me in which of Twain's work is the court scene=20
> >where=3D
>  =3D3D
> > the narrative voice says something along the following lines:
> >=3D20
> >=3D20
> > a person considers another person intelligent if that other person=20
> >says so=3D
> m=3D3D
> > ething that is in agreement with the first person's own thinking
> >=3D20
> >=3D20
> > I thank you all in advance for your attention to this
> >=3D20
> >=3D20
> > Allen Brafman
>