<p>PREFACE</p> <p>BOOK I of this volume occupies a quarter or a third of the volume, and consists of matter written about four years ago, but not hitherto published in book form. It contained errors of judgment and of fact.<br />I have now corrected these to the best of my ability and later knowledge.</p> <p>Book II was written at the beginning of 1903, and has not until now appeared in any form. In it my purpose has been to present a character- portrait of Mrs. Eddy, drawn from her own acts and words solely, not from hearsay and rumor; and to explain the nature and scope of her Monarchy, as revealed in the Laws by which she governs it, and which she wrote herself.</p> <p>MARK TWAIN<br />NEW YORK. January, 1907.</p> <p>BOOK I CHRISTIAN SCIENCE</p> <p>"It is the first time since the dawn-days of Creation that<br /> a Voice has gone crashing through space with such<br /> placid and complacent confidence and command."</p> <p>CHAPTER I<br />VIENNA 1899.</p> <p>This last summer, when I was on my way back to Vienna from the Appetite- Cure in the mountains, I fell over a cliff in the twilight, and broke some arms and legs and one thing or another, and by good luck was found by some peasants who had lost an ass, and they carried me to the nearest habitation, which was one of those large, low, thatch-roofed farm-houses, with apartments in the garret for the family, and a cunning little porch under the deep gable decorated with boxes of bright colored flowers and cats; on the