I'm researching a book that might even get written in my lifetime. Its focal point will be Twain's visit to an army reunion in Chicago, November, 1879--when he delivered his "Babies" speech. In the months (decades?) ahead I'll probably be begging Twain Forum members for all kinds of help. This is for starters: "H.M.S. Pinafore" was the big hit of that year, and became a national craze in the U.S. Twain's letters to Livy from Chicago rave about a performance he saw. I also know one much later ref. to G & S: At the town meeting in "Hadleyburg," the crowd starts singing taunts to a tune from "The Mikado." What other links can you think of betwen Twain and G & S? Good quotes would be nice (even Twain’s use of the lines everyone was using: "What, never?" "His sisters and his cousins and his aunts," etc); but even better would be letters or writings in which Clemens actually DISCUSSES Gilbert and/or Sullivan or anything pertaining to them or to the operettas. I know there's a Gilbert and Sullivan home page; I'll make a similar request to them. Beyond that, are there any books, periodicals or Internet resources where you would advice me to sleuth? Thanks in advance to all, Mark Coburn [log in to unmask]