by Mark Twain
THE WEATHER IN THIS BOOK.
No weather will be found in this book. This is an attempt to pull abook through without weather. It being the first attempt of the kind infictitious literature, it may prove a failure, but it seemed worth thewhile of some dare-devil person to try it, and the author was in justthe mood.
Many a reader who wanted to read a tale through was not able to doit because of delays on account of the weather. Nothing breaks up anauthor's progress like having to stop every few pages to fuss-up theweather. Thus it is plain that persistent intrusions of weather are badfor both reader and author.
Of course weather is necessary to a narrative of human experience. Thatis conceded. But it ought to be put where it will not be in the way;where it will not interrupt the flow of the narrative. And it oughtto be the ablest weather that can be had, not ignorant, poor-quality,amateur weather. Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained handcan turn out a good article of it. The present author can do only a fewtrifling ordinary kinds of weather, and he cannot do those very good. Soit has seemed wisest to borrow such weather as is necessary for the bookfrom qualified and recognized experts--giving credit, of course. Thisweather will be found over in the back part of the book, out of the way.See Appendix. The reader is requested to turn over and help himself fromtime to time as he goes along.
