Goldsmith's Friend Abroad Again

Goldsmith's Friend Abroad Again is a humorous essay written by Mark Twain. In this essay Twain pokes fun at the tendency of people to embellish their travel experiences and share exaggerated tales of their adventures when they return home from a journey.The essay is written in a conversational and humorous tone and is narrated by the protagonist who recounts meeting his friend Mr. L — who has recently returned from a trip to Europe. Mr. L — regales the narrator with extravagant stories of his travels which include improbable encounters with European royalty near-death experiences and grand adventures. However the narrator becomes increasingly skeptical of the authenticity of Mr. L —'s tales as they become more and more far-fetched.As the essay progresses the narrator humorously dissects Mr. L —'s exaggerated stories and highlights the absurdity of his claims. Twain uses this humorous narrative to comment on the tendency of individuals to embellish their experiences in an attempt to impress others and the gullibility of those who eagerly believe such tall tales.Goldsmith's Friend Abroad Again is a satirical commentary on the nature of storytelling particularly when it comes to travel narratives and it reflects Twain's skill in using humor and wit to expose human foibles and pretensions.