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Directory of Mark Twain's maxims, quotations, and various opinions:

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REDHEADS

Redheaded Twain
Duke tobacco tiny biography.
From the
Dave Thomson collection

When red-headed people are above a certain social grade their hair is auburn.
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

I would have loved to live in the time of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth, the best dressed period of the world. You know I like color and flummery and all such things--I was born red-headed--maybe that accounts for my passion for the gorgeous and ornamental.
- quoted in Abroad with Mark Twain and Eugene Field, Fisher

 

The following essay is from
Hannibal Daily Journal
, 5/13/1853:

Oh, She Has Red Hair!

TURN UP YOUR NOSE at red heads! What ignorance! I pity your lack of taste.

Why, man, red is the natural color of beauty! What is there that is really beautiful or grand in Nature or Art, that is not tinted with this primordial color?

What gives to the bright flowers of the field-those painted by Nature's own hand-the power to charm the eye and purify the mind of man, and raise his thoughts to heaven, but the softening touches of the all-admired red!

Unless the delicate blushes of the rose mingle upon the cheek of youth-though the features be perfect in form and proportion, and the eye beam with celestial sweetness, no one will pronounce their possessor beautiful.

And the flag under which the proud sons of American sires find protection in every nation under heaven, is rendered more conspicuous and beautiful by the red which mingles in its sacred "stars and stripes."

The Falls of Niagara are never seen to advantage, unless embellished with the rainbow's hues. The midnight storm may howl, and the thunders loud may roar; but how are its grandeur and beauty heightened by the lightning's vivid flash? Most animals are fond of red-and all children, before their tastes are corrupted, and their judgments peverted, are fond of red.

The Romans anciently regarded red hair as necessary to a beautiful lady!

Thomas Jefferson's hair was red-and Jesus Christ, our Savior- "The chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely," is said to have had "auburn" or red hair-and, although it is not stated in so many words, I have but little doubt that Adam's hair was red-for he was made of "red earth" (as his name indicates), and as the name "Adam" was given to him after he was made, it is pretty clear he must have had red hair! And the great probability is that Eve's hair was red also, she being made of a 'rib' from Adam, who was made of a lump of "red earth."

Now, Adam and Eve before they sinned, are generally supposed to have been the most lovely and beautiful of creation, and they, in all probability were both "red headed." But you, O ye deteriorated black headed descendants of an illustrious stock! have no more taste than to glory in the evidence of your departure from original beauty! I'm ashamed of you; I don't know but you'll repudiate your ancestry, and deny you are descended from Adam next.

A SON OF ADAM.
- Hannibal Daily Journal, 5/13/1853

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