Dr. Britton's letter was eloquent and to-the-point. The proposed
Hannibal project seems another expression of the impulse to
sentimentalize--and thus distort--history. It is a pity that Sam
Clemens isn't here to make a pungent comment on this situation.

Some of you may remember a proposed project by Disney a few years back
to create a "Historical" theme park in Virginia. This enterprise was
eventually discontinued in light of public outcry over the
"Disneyfication" of history.

I plan to mention this in my letter to the committee. It seems a good
comparision to the Hannibal project.