MARK TWAIN AND W. M. HODGKINS
Sir,-It may interest those "interested in the work of Frances Hodgkins to know that Mark Twain and her father did in fact exchange platforms, as stated in the little booklet about her, which was reviewed over the air recently. It happened in this way. W. M. Hodgkins was a prominent solicitor and president of the Otago Art Society. He was also a member of the Savage Club of 1885 or thereabouts, and when Twain visited Dunedin on a lecture tour he was entertained by the Savages. Mark Twain and Mr. Hodgkins arranged: for each to go on the platform when the other was announced and get all the humour out of the incident they could. The hospitality of the club was held responsible for the mix-up and everybody enjoyed their attempts at explanation. Twain finally appeared when Hodgkins was announced. I was only a boy at the time. Both Frances and her father had a keen sense of humour and I feel that she has given expression to her puckish» wit in all her modern work. She satirises art after the method of the French School who, failing to receive recognition from the critics, turned to satire. She happily retained her humour to the last.
P. D. E.
HODGKINS
(Auckland).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 543, 18 November 1949, Page 7
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216MARK TWAIN AND W. M. HODGKINS New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 543, 18 November 1949, Page 7
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