While there are many parallels in Carlyle's _French Revolution_ to some of Twain's works, one of the more interesting theories as to why he called for that book shortly before he died is related in _S.L.C. to C.T._ (privately printed in 1925). Charlotte Teller reveals that when she was writing her play "Mirabeau" that Clemens loaned her his personal copy of Carlyle's book. According to Teller: ~~~~~ He said at one time when he did die, he would send me a message. He put it this way, "When I am dying Charlotte, I will send you a message. No one in the world will know that I am sending it, but you will know when you receive it." The morning I read of his death, I thought of that message, and as I read in the newspaper accounts, I found that he had asked for the copy of the French Revolution which I had at one time used in my play and opened to a certain page (Mr. Paine also speaks of this in his "Biography") and that what he had been reading was a portion that he and I had often discussed. (_S.L.C. to C.T._, p. 6). ~~~~~ Barb