Yes, Kevin, I did recount that story -- as one of the many Boston/Cambridge activities Clemens and Twichell took part in after their famous "walk" to Boston (that devolved into a train ride -- and into a successful PR stunt for M.T.). Mrs. Sargent's book and the relevant pages can be perused here: https://tinyurl.com/yct4bqrz Cheers, Steve Steve Courtney Curatorial Special Projects The Mark Twain House & Museum 351 Farmington Avenue Hartford, Connecticut 06105 860-302-8969 ________________________________________ From: Mark Twain Forum [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Kevin Mac Donnell [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2017 10:16 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: "Transmigration of souls" -- and epochs and bodies For transmigration of souls, yes. There is an account of Twain's reaction to a discussion on the topic at a meeting of the Radical Club on Nov 16, 1874 that is recorded on pages 186-187 of Mrs John T. Sargent's SKETCHES AND REMINISCENCES OF THE RADICAL CLUB (Boston, 1880). Twain attended the meeting with Joe Twichell, who I think was Sargent's source for the details of the conversation between Twain and Twichell which took place on the street as they left the meeting that evening. If I recall correctly, Twain said that if the doctrine was true that he'd inherited a tired or worn out soul himself. Mrs Sargent was the widow of the Unitarian minister (1807-1877) who'd founded the club in 1867. I have not looked lately, but there may be information on this in Steve Courtney's biography of Twichell, or elsewhere. Kevin @ Mac Donnell Rare Books 9307 Glenlake Drive Austin TX 78730 512-345-4139 Member: ABAA, ILAB ************************* You may browse our books at: www.macdonnellrarebooks.com -----Original Message----- From: Dave Davis Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2017 8:41 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: "Transmigration of souls" -- and epochs and bodies I'm re-reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and enjoying it once again after having first read it decades ago. This line, near the beginning, is still striking: "You know about transmigration of souls; do you know about transposition of epochs--and bodies?" Does anyone on-list know of additional background for SLC to have been exposed to, and prompted to, thinking about such abstruse doctrines? Hardly everyday stuff!? Thanks, DDD