1869 Samuel Clemens/mark Twain Engagement Letter - Feb 14, 2015 | Early American History Auctions In Ca
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1869 Samuel Clemens/MARK TWAIN Engagement Letter

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1869 Samuel Clemens/MARK TWAIN Engagement Letter
1869 Samuel Clemens/MARK TWAIN Engagement Letter
Item Details
Description
Autographs
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)

Enthusiastically Announces to His Family

His Engagement to Miss Olivia L. Langdon
SAMUEL LANGHORNE CLEMENS, “MARK TWAIN” (1835-1910). American Author and Humorist.
February 5, 1869-Dated, Superb Content Autograph Letter Signed, “Sam.”, 3 pages, measuring approx. 4.5” x 7”, Elmira, New York, to his “Dear Mother & Brother & Sisters & Nephew & Niece, & Margaret,” with Autograph Transmittal Envelope with imprint of his future father-in-law, Jervis Langdon, being addressed to Clemens’ sister, Mrs. William A. Moffett of St. Louis. Letter in lovely Very Fine while the original Postal Envelope is torn open and exhibits wear. Here, Samuel Clemens writes, in full:

“My dear Mother & Brother & Sisters & Nephew & Niece, & Margaret: ---

This is to inform you that on yesterday, the 4th of February, I was duly & solemnly & irrevocably engaged to be married to Miss Olivia L. Langdon, of Elmira, New York. Amen. She is the best girl in all the world, & the most sensible, & I am just as proud of her as I can be.

It may be a good while before we are married, for I am not rich enough to give her a comfortable home right away, & I don't want anybody's help. I can get an eighth of the Cleveland Herald for $25,000, & have it so arranged that I can pay for it as I earn the money with my unaided hands. I shall look around a little more, & if I can do no better elsewhere, I shall take it. I am not worrying about whether you will love my future wife or not-if you know her twenty-four hours & then don't love her, you will accomplish what nobody else has ever succeeded in doing since she was born. She just naturally drops into everybody's affections that comes across her. My prophecy was correct. She said she never could or would love me-but she set herself the task of making a Christian of me. I said she would succeed, but that in the meantime she would unwittingly dig a matrimonial pit & end up tumbling into it-& lo! the prophecy is fulfilled. She was in New York a day or two ago, & George Wiley & his wife Clara know her now. Pump them, if you want to. You shall see her before very long. Love to all. -- Affect'ly (Signed) Sam. --- P.S. Shall be here a week.”

Twain and Olivia Langdon first met at the end of 1867 through her brother Charles. Their first date was to a reading by Charles Dickens in New York City. Twain courted her mainly by letter throughout 1868; she rejected his first proposal but accepted his second and they were married a year later. Livy helped her husband with the editing of his books, articles and lectures that he would give. She was a "faithful, judicious and painstaking editor," Twain wrote. She continued to help her husband to edit works up until days before her death. Their union lasted 34 years and, despite the death of two children and periodic financial troubles, the marriage itself was a happy one. This is an extraordinary and quite excellent letter by Twain, announcing to his own family one of the literary world's most famous love matches. This exact letter is published in the book, “Love Letters of Mark Twain,” page 64.

Provenance: Prominent Twain scholar and collector Chester L. Davis, 1903-1987 (Christie's New York, 9 June 1992, lot 35).


Samuel Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri. After he tried several failed careers, he settled on being an editor for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise in Nevada. Later he began writing, and some of his early tales include “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” and “Innocents Abroad.”

His best known works are “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and, of course, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Ernest Hemingway once said, "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn - all American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since."
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1869 Samuel Clemens/MARK TWAIN Engagement Letter

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