[Ads-l] Quote: If there are no cigars in heaven, I shall not go (attributed to Mark Twain)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Thank you for taking the time to search and share your discovery,
Peter. Google Books does have fully readable scans for the intriguing
citation you discovered.

Mark Twain died in 1910. During subsequent years psychical researchers
attempted to contact Twain in the spirit realm. Apparently, in 1917
Mrs. Chenoweth used the automatic writing technique to communicate
with Twain.

For non-believers, Mrs. Chenoweth simply used her own imagination to
generate a fantasy version of Twain. A report was published in 1920.

Year: 1920
Journal: Proceedings of the American Society for Psychical Research
Volume 14
Article: Cross Reference Experiments for Mark Twain
Author: James H. Hyslop Ph.D.
Note: Spirit Communication with Mark Twain by Mrs. Chenoweth via
Automatic Writing
Date: July 3, 1917
Start Page 1, Quote Page 187
Publisher: The American Society for Psychical Research, New York
Database: Google Books Full View

https://books.google.com/books?id=EIDNAAAAMAAJ&q=%22smoking+in%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
But if there is no smoking in the far realm I guess I’m done for, for
I still think tenderly [N.R.] tenderly and longingly about my black
cigar [N.R.] cigar.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Jan 13, 2025 at 11:36 AM mr_peter_morris at outlook.com
<mr_peter_morris at outlook.com> wrote:
>
> https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Proceedings_of_the_American_Society_for/gnuVqjctdwgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22mark+twain%22+%22no+smoking%22+heaven&dq=%22mark+twain%22+%22no+smoking%22+heaven&printsec=frontcover
>
> Proceedings of the American Society for Psychical Research
> Cross-reference experiments for Mark Twain
> Possibly 1922, or earlier, usual caveats apply
>
>
> But if there is no smoking in the far realm I guess I'm done for
> for I still think tenderly [N.R.] tenderly and longingly about my
> black cigar [N. R.] cigar.
>
>
> Maybe quoting an earlier work. I can't be sure from the Google fragments
> if it's Twain speaking, but worth investigating.
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From "ADSGarson O'Toole" <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM<mailto:adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>>
> To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU<mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Date 12/01/2025 22:44:03
> Subject Quote: If there are no cigars in heaven, I shall not go (attributed to Mark Twain)
>
> The remark in the subject line is often attributed to Mark Twain, but
> I have not yet found a solid citation.
>
> Recently, Kevin Mac Donnell of Mac Donnell Rare Books in Austin, Texas
> shared with me an intriguing citation for a closely related remark. In
> April 1929 James Ross Clemens who was Twain's cousin published "Some
> Reminiscences of Mark Twain" in the "Overland Monthly" of San
> Francisco, California:
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> . . . Mark was in much the same frame of mind as regards cigars. "If
> there is smoking in Heaven I want to go there," he would fervidly
> exclaim.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Also, Mark Twain's Notebook (1935) contains the following remark which
> fits the same template:
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> If I cannot swear in heaven I shall not stay there.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Here is a link to the Quote Investigator article:
> https://quoteinvestigator.com/2025/01/12/smoke-heaven/
>
> Feedback welcome
> Garson O'Toole
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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