New Publications
In a handsomely printed and tastefully bound little volume, called the Jumping Frog, which is the initial venture of Mr. C. H. Webb as a publisher "Mark Twain" presents himself a candidate for the honors of a humorist. "Mark Twain" is, we believe, the nom de plume of Mr. Samuel Clements, [sic] who, although a Missourian by birth, has for the last year had his residence in California. There his contributions to the weekly journals secured him a wide popularity, and this volume serves to introduce him to the lovers of humor in the Atlantic States. The sketch from which the book takes its name was first published several years ago, and at that time was widely circulated through the newspapers. It is a fair specimen of the whimsical fancies in which the book abounds, and, although there are other sketches nearly equal to it in merit, it is appropriately assigned the leading place because it has done more than any other single paper to secure for the writer whatever reputation he may have. "Mark Twain" differs from other recent writers of his class in not resorting to the adventitious aid of bad spelling to make his jokes seem more absurd, and this is, of course, decidedly in his favor. There is a great deal of quaint humor and much pithy wisdom in his writings, and their own merit, as well as the attractive style in which they are produced, must secure them a popularity which will bring its own profit. The American News Company are the agents for the publisher, and he is, by the way, also editor of the volume.
