The Newark Daily Advertiser

1871: December 1

Mark Twain on Wednesday Night.

We were not surprised, after hearing Mark Twain on Wednesday night, at the Opera House, that he had so many empty seats to talk to. Those who heard him once, did not care to suffer the infliction the second time. His subject on this occasion was "Artemus Ward," whom he considered a born humorist, and he proceeded to string together, in a sing-song, nasal twang, a large number of funny sayings of Artemus Ward, interspersed with some of his own so-called witticisms. The audience exhibited commendable patience for upwards of an hour, as he drawled out his sentences, evidently waiting for an outburst of laughter between each. It was supposed that here was where the joke was intended to come in, but many failed to appreciate it. It was about the dullest entertainment ever given here. Although Mark Twain has written some very good things, as a lecturer he does not seem to be a success.


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