The Life and Writings of Major Jack Downing of Downingville

Book excerpt: This delightful book offers a window into 19th-century American humor and satire. Major Jack Downing, the fictional narrator, provides a humorous take on the issues of his day and offers insights into the political and social landscape of early America. With wit and charm, Smith provides a classic example of American humor at its best. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.