Mark Twain in Virginia City.

Franklin R. Rogers; Paul Fatout

doi:10.2307/2923193

Mark Twain in Virginia City.

American Literature ◽

10.2307/2923193 ◽

1965 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 534

Author(s):

Franklin R. Rogers ◽

Paul Fatout

Keyword(s):

Mark Twain ◽

Virginia City

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Mark Twain in Virginia City

Journal of American History ◽

10.2307/1894918 ◽

1964 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 511

Author(s):

Richard G. Lillard ◽

Paul Fatout

Keyword(s):

Mark Twain ◽

Virginia City

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“The Babes in the Wood”: Artemus Ward's “Double Health” to Mark Twain

PMLA ◽

10.2307/461780 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 93 (5) ◽

pp. 955-972 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Edgar M. Branch

Keyword(s):

Mark Twain ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Rhetorical Strategies ◽

Virginia City ◽

The Law

In his legendary lecture “The Babes in the Wood” (1863–64), Artemus Ward wanted to “go in for fun,” and he artfully structured the talk to exemplify his credo: “We better stay in the sunshine while we may, inasmuch as we know the shadows will come all too soon.” Mark Twain heard Ward speak in Virginia City and later wrote that “The Babes” was “the funniest thing I ever listened to.” This article reproduces a reasonably accurate speaking text of “The Babes” and considers it in relation to Mark Twain’s theory and practice of lecturing and to his early written humor. Its comedy offered Mark Twain, among other things, a demonstration of (1) complex rhetorical strategies and (2) a sophisticated burlesque of the serious lyceum lecture. To clarify its burlesque dimension, “The Babes” is then compared to Emerson’s lecture “The Law of Success” (which Ward had heard and reported).

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