I remain dubious that Twain attained much recognition in Europe because of the Jumping Frog tale, as it is very much regional humor - but of such quality that it garnered national recognition. I suspect that it was The Innocents Abroad that earned him, at least, Europe's attention. I'm wondering if any of his letters to Alta California found their way into European publications. Is it possible that these columns caught the attention of those Europeans residing in the US; ambassadors, business representatives, etc. that may have forwarded the articles to their homelands. Their interest may have been piqued by this provocative journalist making unusual observations of their country(s). How successful was initial publication of The Innocents Abroad abroad? It appears that the French version of the Jumping Frog came out following publication of The Innocents Abroad. -- There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. http://bscottholmes.com