In MARK TWAIN IN ERUPTION Editor Bernard Devoto, in his Introduction, p.
xxvii, refers to two unfinished "apocalyptic treatises" and offers what
appears to be a direct quote from one (without quotation marks) reading in
part:
~~~~~
Every civilization carries the seeds of its own destruction, and the same
cycle shows in them all. The Republic is born, flourishes, decays into
plutocracy, and is captured by the shoemaker whom the mercenaries and
millionaires make into a king. The people invent their oppressors, and the
oppressors serve the function for which they are invented.

~~~~~
A link to the page from De Voto's book online at archive.org :

https://archive.org/details/marktwaininerupt0000mark_e0q1/page/n31/mode/2up?q=Shoemaker

Questions:  Is this a direct quote or a De Voto paraphrase?  Is there a
title or titles for the unfinished  "apocalyptic treatises" ?

Barb