In followup of the recent discussion of MT's opinion of J. Austen, I note that several similar comments are quoted in a recently published volume entitled "Mark My Words: Mark Twain on Writing", edited by Mark Dawidziak (which contains a number of quotes and comments on literary matters by Twain, some of which are well-recognized, and some of which will be "new" to most readers). >From a 1903 letter to Howells: " I've a great mind to have it out with you about Jane Austen. If you say much more I'll come out and read Pride and Prejudice to you." >From Following the Equator: "Jane Austen's books, too, are absent from this library. Just that one omission alone would make a fairly good library out of a library that hadn't a book in it." >From an 1898 letter to Twichell: "I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin." Patrick Ober Wake Forest University