The Rare Word -- Mark Twain Edition

The Rare Word -- An Occasional Series

In an interview given in Sydney, Australia in 1896, Mark Twain speaks thusly:

"It is not true that owing to my lack of humor I was once discharged from a humorous publication. It's an event that could very likely happen were I on the staff of a humorous paper--but then I'd never get into a fix like that. I'd never undertake to be humorous by contract. If I wanted my worst enemy to be racked I'd make him the editor of a comic paper. For me there must be contrast; for humorous effect I must have solemn background; I'd let my contribution [writing - ed.] into an undertaker's paper or the London Times. Set a diamond upon a pall of black if you'd have it glisten."

Note the words "fix", "solemn", "contract", "racked", "glisten", "pall" and "discharged".