Mark Twain, A Biography 1866-1875 | Page 4

possibilities (his brain
always thronged with plans) he constructed three or four resolves. The
chief of these was the trip around the world; but that lay months ahead,
and in the mean time ways and means must be provided. Another
intention was to finish the Hornet article, and forward it to Harper's
Magazine--a purpose carried immediately into effect. To his delight the
article found acceptance, and he looked forward to the day of its

publication as the beginning of a real career. He intended to follow it
up with a series on the islands, which in due time might result in a book
and an income. He had gone so far as to experiment with a dedication
for the book--an inscription to his mother, modified later for use in 'The
Innocents Abroad'. A third plan of action was to take advantage of the
popularity of the Hawaiian letters, and deliver a lecture on the same
subject. But this was a fearsome prospect--he trembled when he
thought of it. As Governor of the Third House he had been
extravagantly received and applauded, but in that case the position of
public entertainer had been thrust upon him. To come forward now,
offering himself in the same capacity, was a different matter. He
believed he could entertain, but he lacked the courage to declare
himself; besides, it meant a risk of his slender capital. He confided his
situation to Col. John McComb, of the Alta California, and was startled
by McComb's vigorous endorsement.
"Do it, by all means!" urged McComb. "It will be a grand success--I
know it! Take the largest house in town, and charge a dollar a ticket."
Frightened but resolute, he went to the leading theater manager the
same Tom Maguire of his verses--and was offered the new opera-house
at half rates. The next day this advertisement appeared:
MAGUIRE'S ACADEMY OF MUSIC PINE STREET, NEAR
MONTGOMERY
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS
MARK TWAIN
(HONOLULU CORRESPONDENT OF THE SACRAMENTO
UNION) WILL DELIVER A LECTURE ON THE SANDWICH
ISLANDS
AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC ON TUESDAY EVENING, OCT.
2d (1866)
In which passing mention will be made of Harris, Bishop Staley, the
American missionaries, etc., and the absurd customs and characteristics
of the natives duly discussed and described. The great volcano of
Kilauea will also receive proper attention.
A SPLENDID ORCHESTRA is in town, but has not been engaged
ALSO A DEN OF FEROCIOUS WILD BEASTS will be on exhibition
in the next block MAGNIFICENT FIREWORKS were in
contemplation for this occasion, but the idea has been abandoned A

GRAND TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION may be expected; in fact, the
public are privileged to expect whatever they please.
Dress Circle, $1.00 Family Circle, 50c Doors open at 7 o'clock The
Trouble to begin at 8 o'clock
The story of that first lecture, as told in Roughing It, is a faithful one,
and need only be summarized here.
Expecting to find the house empty, he found it packed from the
footlights to the walls. Sidling out from the wings--wobbly-kneed and
dry of tongue--he was greeted by a murmur, a roar, a very crash of
applause that frightened away his remaining vestiges of courage. Then,
came reaction-- these were his friends, and he began to talk to them.
Fear melted away, and as tide after tide of applause rose and billowed
and came breaking at his feet, he knew something of the exaltation of
Monte Cristo when he declared "The world is mine!"
It was a vast satisfaction to have succeeded. It was particularly
gratifying at this time, for he dreaded going back into newspaper
harness. Also; it softened later the disappointment resulting from
another venture; for when the December Harper appeared, with his
article, the printer and proof-reader had somehow converted Mark
Twain into "Mark Swain," and his literary dream perished.
As to the literary value of his lecture, it was much higher than had,
been any portion of his letters, if we may judge from its few remaining
fragments. One of these--a part of the description of the great volcano
Haleakala, on the island of Maui--is a fair example of his eloquence.
It is somewhat more florid than his later description of the same scene
in Roughing It, which it otherwise resembles; and we may imagine that
its poetry, with the added charm of its delivery, held breathless his
hearers, many of whom believed that no purer eloquence had ever been
uttered or written.
It is worth remembering, too, that in this lecture, delivered so long ago,
he advocated the idea of American ownership of these islands, dwelling
at considerable length on his reasons for this ideal.
--[For fragmentary extracts from this first lecture of Mark Twain and
news comment, see Appendix D, end of last volume.]--
There was a gross return from his venture of more than