Found this quotation in A Tramp Abroad (pub. 1880) and I think it’s worth sharing.

From ch. 46: “But in Europe everywhere except in the mountains, the water is flat and insipid beyond the power of words to describe. It is served lukewarm; but no matter, ice could not help it; it is incurably flat, incurably insipid. It is only good to wash with; I wonder it doesn’t occur to the average inhabitant to try it for that.”

MG comments, “Zing! Score 1 for Twain, The whole of 19th Century Europe 0! It started off so unsuspecting…just a critical remark on water in Europe…I read the end and immediately thought OH!”

ZH (recently back from Europe) responds, “It is still an issue! No ice…it’s too expensive!”