indifferent about it。 If I am appointed to live again I feel sure
it will be for some more sane and useful purpose than to flounder
about for ages in a lake of fire and brimstone for having violated a
confusion of ill…defined and contradictory rules said （but not
evidenced） to be of divine institution。 If annihilation is to
follow death I shall not be aware of the annihilation； and therefore
shall not care a straw about it。
I believe that the world's moral laws are the outcome of the world's
experience。 It needed no God to come down out of heaven to tell men
that murder and theft and the other immoralities were bad； both for
the individual who commits them and for society which suffers from
them。
If I break all these moral laws I cannot see how I injure God by it；
for He is beyond the reach of injury from meI could as easily
injure a planet by throwing mud at it。 It seems to me that my
misconduct could only injure me and other men。 I cannot benefit God
by obeying these moral lawsI could as easily benefit the planet by
withholding my mud。 （Let these sentences be read in the light of
the fact that I believe I have received moral laws only from man…
none whatever from God。） Consequently I do not see why I should be
either punished or rewarded hereafter for the deeds I do here。
If the tragedies of life shook his faith in the goodness and justice and
the mercy of God as manifested toward himself； he at any rate never
questioned that the wider scheme of the universe was attuned to the
immutable law which contemplates nothing less than absolute harmony。 I
never knew him to refer to this particular document； but he never
destroyed it and never amended it； nor is it likely that he would have
done either had it been presented to him for consideration even during
the last year of his life。
He was never intentionally dogmatic。 In a memorandum on a fly…leaf of
Moncure D。 Conway's Sacred Anthology he wrote：
RELIGION
The easy confidence with which I know another man's religion is folly
teaches me to suspect that my own is also。
MARK TWAIN； 19th Cent。 A。D。
And in another note：
I would not interfere with any one's religion； either to strengthen it or
to weaken it。 I am not able to believe one's religion can affect his
hereafter one way or the other； no matter what that religion maybe。 But
it may easily be a great comfort to him in this life hence it is a
valuable possession to him。
Mark Twain's religion was a faith too wide for doctrinesa benevolence
too limitless for creeds。 From the beginning he strove against
oppression； sham； and evil in every form。 He despised meanness； he
resented with every drop of blood in him anything that savored of
persecution or a curtailment of human liberties。 It was a religion
identified with his daily life and his work。 He lived as he wrote； and
he wrote as he believed。 His favorite weapon was humorgood…humorwith
logic behind it。 A sort of glorified truth it was truth wearing a smile
of gentleness； hence all the more quickly heeded。
〃He will be remembered with the great humorists of all time；〃 says
Howells； 〃with Cervantes； with Swift； or with any others worthy of his
company； none of them was his equal in humanity。〃
Mark Twain understood the needs of men because he was himself supremely
human。 In one of his dictations he said：
I have found that there is no ingredient of the race which I do not
possess in either a small or a large way。 When it is small； as compared
with the same ingredient in somebody else； there is still enough of it
for all the purposes of examination。
With his strength he had inherited the weaknesses of our kind。 With him；
as with another； a myriad of dreams and schemes and purposes daily
flitted by。 With him； as with another； the spirit of desire led him
often to a high mountain…top； and was not rudely put aside； but
lingeringlyand often invited to return。 With him； as with another； a
crowd of jealousies and resentments； and wishes for the ill of others；
daily went seething and scorching along the highways of the soul。 With
him； as with another； regret； remorse； and shame stood at the bedside
during long watches of the night； and in the end； with him； the better
thing triumphedforgiveness and generosity and justicein a word；
Humanity。 Certain of his aphorisms and memoranda each in itself
constitutes an epitome of Mark Twain's creed。 His paraphrase； 〃When in
doubt tell the truth；〃 is one of these； and he embodied his whole
attitude toward Infinity when in one of his stray pencilings he wrote：
Why； even poor little ungodlike man holds himself responsible for the
welfare of his child to the extent of his ability。 It is all that we
require of God。
CCXCVI
POSTSCRIPT
Every life is a dramaa play in all its particulars； comedy； farce；
tragedyall the elements are there。 To examine in detail any life；
however conspicuous or obscure； is to become amazed not only at the
inevitable sequence of events； but at the interlinking of details； often
far removed； into a marvelously intricate pattern which no art can hope
to reproduce； and can only feebly imitate。
The biographer may reconstruct an episode； present a picture； or reflect
a mood by which the reader is enabled to feel something of the glow of
personality and know； perhaps； a little of the substance of the past。 In
so far as the historian can accomplish this his work is a success。 At
best his labor will be pathetically incomplete； for whatever its detail
and its resemblance to life； these will record mainly but an outward
expression； behind which was the mighty sweep and tumult of unwritten
thought； the overwhelming proportion of any life； which no other human
soul can ever really know。
Mark Twain's appearance on the stage of the world was a succession of
dramatic moments。 He was always exactly in the setting。 Whatever he
did； or whatever came to him； was timed for the instant of greatest
effect。 At the end he was more widely observed and loved and honored
than ever before； and at the right moment and in the right manner he
died。
How little one may tell of such a life as his！ He traveled always such a
broad and brilliant highway； with plumes flying and crowds following
after。 Such a whirling panorama of life； and death； and change！ I have
written so much； and yet I have put so much asideand often the best
things； it seemed afterward； perhaps because each in its way was best and
the variety infinite。 One may only strive to be faithfuland I would
have made it better if I could。
APPENDIX
APPENDIX A
LETTER FROM ORION CLEMENS TO MISS WOOD CONCERNING HENRY CLEMENS
（See Chapter xxvi）
KEOKUK； Iowa； October 3； 1858。
MISS WOOD；My mother having sent me your kind letter； with a request
that myself and wife should write to you； I hasten to do so。
In my memory I can go away back to Henry's infancy； I see his large； blue
eyes intently regarding my father when he rebuked him for his credulity
in giving full faith to the boyish idea of planting his marbles；
expecting a crop therefrom； then comes back the recollection of the time
when； standing we three alone by our father's grave； I told them always
to remember that brothers should be kind to each other； afterward I see
Henry returning from school with his books for the last time。 He must go
into my printing…office。 He learned rapidly。 A word of encouragement or
a word of discouragement told upon his organization electrically。 I
could see the effects in his day's work。 Sometimes I would say； 〃Henry！〃
He would stand full front with his eyes upon mineall attention。 If I
commanded him to do something； without a word he was off instantly；
probably in a run。 If a cat was to be drowned or shot Sam （though
unwilling yet firm） was selected for the work。 If a stray kitten was to
be fed and taken care of Henry was expected to attend to it； and he would
faithfully do so。 So they grew up； and many was the grave lecture
commenced by ma； to the effect that Sam was misleading and spoiling
Henry。 But the lectures were never concluded； for Sam would reply with a
witticism； or dry； unexpected humor； that would drive the lecture clean
out of my mother's mind； and change it to a laugh。 Those were happier
days。 My mother was as lively as any girl of sixteen。 She is not so
now。 And sister Pamela I have described in describing Henry； for she was
his counterpart。 The blow falls crushingly on her。 But the boys grew
upSam a rugged； brave； quick…tempered； generous…hearted fellow； Henry
quiet； observing； thoughtful； leaning on Sam for protection； Sam and I
too leaning on him for knowledge picked up from conversation or books；
for Henry seemed never to forget anything； and devoted much of his
leisure hours to reading。
Henry is gone！ His death was horrible！ How I could have sat by him；
hung over him； watched day and night every change of expression； and
minis