abraham lincoln-第7章

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any　vulgar　sentiment；　he　never　alludes　to　the　humbleness　of　his

origin；　it　probably　never　occurred　to　him；　indeed；　that　there　was

anything　higher　to　start　from　than　manhood；　and　he　put　himself　on　a

level　with　those　he　addressed；　not　by　going　down　to　them；　but　only

by　taking　it　for　granted　that　they　had　brains　and　would　come　up　to

a　common　ground　of　reason。　　In　an　article　lately　printed　in　*The

Nation；*　Mr。　Bayard　Taylor　mentions　the　striking　fact；　that　in　the

foulest　dens　of　the　Five　Points　he　found　the　portrait　of　Lincoln。　

The　wretched　population　that　makes　its　hive　there　threw　all　its

votes　and　more　against　him；　and　yet　paid　this　instinctive　tribute　to

the　sweet　humanity　of　his　nature。　　Their　ignorance　sold　its　vote　and

took　its　money；　but　all　that　was　left　of　manhood　in　them　recognized

its　saint　and　martyr。



Mr。　Lincoln　is　not　in　the　habit　of　saying；　〃This　is　*my*　opinion；　or

*my*　theory；〃　but　〃This　is　the　conclusion　to　which；　in　my

judgment；　the　time　has　come；　and　to　which；　accordingly；　the　sooner

we　come　the　better　for　us。〃　　His　policy　has　been　the　policy　of　public

opinion　based　on　adequate　discussion　and　on　a　timely　recognition

of　the　influence　of　passing　events　in　shaping　the　features　of　events

to　come。



One　secret　of　Mr。　Lincoln's　remarkable　success　in　captivating　the

popular　mind　is　undoubtedly　an　unconsciousness　of　self　which

enables　him；　though　under　the　necessity　of　constantly　using　the

capital　*I*；　to　do　it　without　any　suggestion　of　egotism。　　There　is　no

single　vowel　which　men's　mouths　can　pronounce　with　such

difference　of　effect。　　That　which　one　shall　hide　away；　as　it　were；

behind　the　substance　of　his　discourse；　or；　if　he　bring　it　to　the　front；

shall　use　merely　to　give　an　agreeable　accent　of　individuality　to　what

he　says；　another　shall　make　an　offensive　challenge　to　the　self…

satisfaction　of　all　his　hearers；　and　an　unwarranted　intrusion　upon

each　man's　sense　of　personal　importance；　irritating　every　pore　of　his

vanity；　like　a　dry　northeast　wind；　to　a　goose…flesh　of　opposition　and

hostility。　　Mr。　Lincoln　has　never　studied　Quintilian；（1）　but　he　has；　in

the　earnest　simplicity　and　unaffected　Americanism　of　his　own

character；　one　art　of　oratory　worth　all　the　rest。　　He　forgets　himself

so　entirely　in　his　object　as　to　give　his　*I*　the　sympathetic　and

persuasive　effect　of　*We*　with　the　great　body　of　his　countrymen。　

Homely；　dispassionate；　showing　all　the　rough…edged　process　of　his

thought　as　it　goes　along；　yet　arriving　at　his　conclusions　with　an

honest　kind　of　every…day　logic；　he　is　so　eminently　our

representative　man；　that；　when　he　speaks；　it　seems　as　if　the　people

were　listening　to　their　own　thinking　aloud。　　The　dignity　of　his

thought　owes　nothing　to　any　ceremonial　garb　of　words；　but　to　the

manly　movement　that　comes　of　settled　purpose　and　an　energy　of

reason　that　knows　not　what　rhetoric　means。　　There　has　been

nothing　of　Cleon；　still　less　of　Strepsiades（2）　striving　to　underbid

him　in　demagogism；　to　be　found　in　the　public　utterances　of　Mr。

Lincoln。　　He　has　always　addressed　the　intelligence　of　men；　never

their　prejudice；　their　passion；　or　their　ignorance。



（1）　A　famous　Latin　writer　on　the　*Art　of　Oratory。*

（2）　Two　Athenian　demagogues；　satirized　by　the　dramatist

Aristophanes。



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On　the　day　of　his　death；　this　simple　Western　attorney；　who

according　to　one　party　was　a　vulgar　joker；　and　whom　the

*doctrinaires*　among　his　own　supporters　accused　of　wanting　every

element　of　statesmanship；　was　the　most　absolute　ruler　in

Christendom；　and　this　solely　by　the　hold　his　good…humored　sagacity

had　laid　on　the　hearts　and　understandings　of　his　countrymen。　　Nor

was　this　all；　for　it　appeared　that　he　had　drawn　the　great　majority；

not　only　of　his　fellow…citizens；　but　of　mankind　also；　to　his　side。　　So

strong　and　so　persuasive　is　honest　manliness　without　a　single

quality　of　romance　or　unreal　sentiment　to　help　it！　　A　civilian　during

times　of　the　most　captivating　military　achievement；　awkward；　with

no　skill　in　the　lower　technicalities　of　manners；　he　left　behind　him　a

fame　beyond　that　of　any　conqueror；　the　memory　of　a　grace　higher

than　that　of　outward　person；　and　of　a　gentlemanliness　deeper　than

mere　breeding。　　Never　before　that　startled　April　morning　did　such

multitudes　of　men　shed　tears　for　the　death　of　one　they　had　never

seen；　as　if　with　him　a　friendly　presence　had　been　taken　away　from

their　lives；　leaving　them　colder　and　darker。　　Never　was　funeral

panegyric　so　eloquent　as　the　silent　look　of　sympathy　which

strangers　exchanged　when　they　met　on　that　day。　　Their　common

manhood　had　lost　a　kinsman。











End