On Thu, 30 Jan 1997, Barbara L. Goodman wrote: > Dear Friends, > I would like to know the prevailing explanation of MT's having used such > a varied and exotic collection of quotations at the beginning of each chapter > of The Gilded Age. Barbara L. Goodman > Twain and Warner were parodying the prevailing practice of beginning chapters with quotations. They upped the ante, so to speak, in showing off worthless erudition. Gregg Camfield