mark twain, a biography, 1900-1907-第3章
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man who in '64 had written against corruption in San Francisco； who a few
years later had defended the emigrant Chinese against persecution； who at
the meetings of the Monday Evening Club had denounced hypocrisy in
politics； morals； and national issues； did not need to change to be able
to speak out against similar abuses now。 And a newer generation as
willing to herald Mark Twain as a sage as well as a humorist； and on
occasion to quite overlook the absence of the cap and bells。
CCXIII
MARK TWAINGENERAL SPOKESMAN
Clemens did not confine his speeches altogether to matters of reform。 At
a dinner given by the Nineteenth Century Club in November； 1900； he spoke
on the 〃Disappearance of Literature；〃 and at the close of the discussion
of that subject； referring to Milton and Scott； he said：
Professor Winchester also said something about there being no modern
epics like 〃Paradise Lost。〃 I guess he's right。 He talked as if he
was pretty familiar with that piece of literary work； and nobody
would suppose that he never had read it。 I don't believe any of you
have ever read 〃Paradise Lost；〃 and you don't want to。 That's
something that you just want to take on trust。 It's a classic； just
as Professor Winchester says； and it meets his definition of a
classicsomething that everybody wants to have read and nobody
wants to read。
Professor Trent also had a good deal to say about the disappearance
of literature。 He said that Scott would outlive all his critics。
I guess that's true。 That fact of the business is you've got to be
one of two ages to appreciate Scott。 When you're eighteen you can
read Ivanhoe； and you want to wait until you're ninety to read some
of the rest。 It takes a pretty well…regulated abstemious critic to
live ninety years。
But a few days later he was back again in the forefront of reform；
preaching at the Berkeley Lyceum against foreign occupation in China。
It was there that he declared himself a Boxer。
Why should not China be free from the foreigners； who are only
making trouble on her soil？ If they would only all go home what a
pleasant place China would be for the Chinese！ We do not allow
Chinamen to come here； and I say； in all seriousness； that it would
be a graceful thing to let China decide who shall go there。
China never wanted foreigners any more than foreigners wanted
Chinamen； and on this question I am with the Boxers every time。 The
Boxer is a patriot。 He loves his country better than he does the
countries of other people。 I wish him success。 We drive the
Chinaman out of our country； the Boxer believes in driving us out of
his country。 I am a Boxer； too； on those terms。
Introducing Winston Churchill； of England； at a dinner some weeks later；
he explained how generous England and America had been in not requiring
fancy rates for 〃extinguished missionaries〃 in China as Germany had done。
Germany had required territory and cash； he said； in payment for her
missionaries； while the United States and England had been willing to
settle for producefirecrackers and tea。
The Churchill introduction would seem to have been his last speech for
the year 1900； and he expected it； with one exception； to be the last for
a long time。 He realized that he was tired and that the strain upon him
made any other sort of work out of the question。 Writing to MacAlister
at the end of the year； he said； 〃I seem to have made many speeches； but
it is not so。 It is not more than ten； I think。〃 Still； a respectable
number in the space of two months； considering that each was carefully
written and committed to memory； and all amid crushing social pressure。
Again to MacAlister：
I declined 7 banquets yesterday （which is double the daily average）
& answered 29 letters。 I have slaved at my mail every day since we
arrived in mid…October； but Jean is learning to typewrite &
presently I'll dictate & thereby save some scraps of time。
He added that after January 4th he did not intend to speak again for a
yearthat he would not speak then only that the matter concerned the
reform of city government。
The occasion of January 4； 1901； was a rather important one。 It was a
meeting of the City Club； then engaged in the crusade for municipal
reform。 Wheeler H。 Peckham presided； and Bishop Potter made the opening
address。 It all seems like ancient history now； and perhaps is not very
vital any more； but the movement was making a great stir then； and Mark
Twain's declaration that he believed forty…nine men out of fifty were
honest； and that the forty…nine only needed to organize to disqualify the
fiftieth man （always organized for crime）； was quoted as a sort of slogan
for reform。
Clemens was not permitted to keep his resolution that he wouldn't speak
again that year。 He had become a sort of general spokesman on public
matters； and demands were made upon him which could not be denied。 He
declined a Yale alumni dinner； but he could not refuse to preside at the
Lincoln Birthday celebration at Carnegie Hall； February 11th； where he
must introduce Watterson as the speaker of the evening。
〃Think of it！〃 he wrote Twichell。 〃Two old rebels functioning there： I
as president and Watterson as orator of the day！ Things have changed
somewhat in these forty years； thank God！〃
The Watterson introduction is one of the choicest of Mark Twain's
speechesa pure and perfect example of simple eloquence； worthy of the
occasion which gave it utterance； worthy in spite of its playful
paragraphs （or even because of them； for Lincoln would have loved them）；
to become the matrix of that imperishable Gettysburg phrase with which he
makes his climax。 He opened by dwelling for a moment on Colonel
Watterson as a soldier； journalist； orator； statesman； and patriot； then
he said：
It is a curious circumstance that without collusion of any kind； but
merely in obedience to a strange and pleasant and dramatic freak of
destiny； he and I； kinsmen by blood＇Colonel Watterson's forebears
had intermarried with the Lamptons。＇for we are thatand one…time
rebelsfor we were thatshould be chosen out of a million
surviving quondam rebels to come here and bare our heads in
reverence and love of that noble soul whom 40 years ago we tried
with all our hearts and all our strength to defeat and dispossess
Abraham Lincoln！ Is the Rebellion ended and forgotten？ Are the
Blue and the Gray one to…day？ By authority of this sign we may
answer yes； there was a Rebellionthat incident is closed。
I was born and reared in a slave State； my father was a slaveowner；
and in the Civil War I was a second lieutenant in the Confederate
service。 For a while。 This second cousin of mine； Colonel
Watterson； the orator of this present occasion； was born and reared
in a slave State； was a colonel in the Confederate service； and
rendered me such assistance as he could in my self…appointed great
task of annihilating the Federal armies and breaking up the Union。
I laid my plans with wisdom and foresight； and if Colonel Watterson
had obeyed my orders I should have succeeded in my giant
undertaking。 It was my intention to drive General Grant into the
Pacificif I could get transportationand I told Colonel Watterson
to surround the Eastern armies and wait till I came。 But he was
insubordinate； and stood upon a punctilio of military etiquette； he
refused to take orders from a second lieutenantand the Union was
saved。 This is the first time that this secret has been revealed。
Until now no one outside the family has known the facts。 But there
they stand： Watterson saved the Union。 Yet to this day that man
gets no pension。 Those were great days； splendid days。 What an
uprising it was！ For the hearts of the whole nation； North and
South； were in the war。 We of the South were not ashamed； for； like
the men of the North； we were fighting for 'flag
