Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-10-30
PRESIDENT LlNCoLN's LETTER TO MI
HACKETT

sPerian reGdings likely 10 benefit he onion cause
rastly IN England
From the Liverpool Post, Oct III
Perhaps no leader in great contest ever stood
| so little chance of being subject of hero wor.
ship as Abraham Lincoln the President Of the
United States. That he was once rai-splitter
would be pardoned if it could be proved that he
were now swell" But there is nothing of
the swell about "Old Abe" Every visitor that
goes to Washington has mething diste.pectful
! to sNv ri his very long legs and consequently
~ long pantaloOns; of his stumbling figure !;
of his awkward speech aud doubly ankard si-
| ence; of his general unftness in appearance
aud manners to mix in high society. Those who
only know him from his sxercitations 10 print
conceive but little better opinion of him. His
grammar is decidedly self-taught and perhaps
not quite remembered his style is no style at
oil his arguments seem sometimes to have been
written rather on the principle of Samson making
sport for tho Philistnes Than at all adapted to
advance his cause; and some of his metaphors
are voted decidedly below par by the crowd of
arrogant pretenders tn taste who never admired
saying that was tinged with yulgarity, and
never said one that could be suspected of vigor
or originality. When the enemies OF the North
have nothing else TO say they deride the Presi-
dent and when they feel the point of his bone
| ly jokes, they bitterly denounce him as a sort Of
Nero fddliDg away to a ribald tune while the
empire he rules is in flames of civil war. Scarce
| ly any Que has good word to say for him; and
even his own party in the States seem too ready
to remain silent about his merits, and to base
their defence of the Administration on any
| grounds rather than confidence in its head.
| Yet worshipper II human heroes might pos
sibly travel great deal farther and fare much
worse for an idol than in selecting this same
lnnky American--the personihcatiOn OF freesUil
| prineiples-the representative of the idea that
slavery, without being iorcibly in.erferel with,
must not be allowed to spread itself over the
North American continen,-gnd the impersona-
tion also, Of the victory of that idea-a victory,
which, as It were, stands tue defensive against
those who would turn it into a defeat All, olute
| truth, stern resolution, clear Insight solemn
! iaitbtulness, courage that cannot be daunted,
| hopetulhess that cannot he dashed-these are
| qualities that go a long way to make up IL hero,
whatever side the pOssessor Of them may take iu
any lawful conflict And il would not be easy to
dispute Mr. Linoolns claim TO all these. He
| has never given up good servant OF % sound
| principle. lie has never shu his eyes to facts,
or remained in ignorance Of them. lie has
never heslteted TO do his work, or faltered in do
| ing IT, No resolution has remnined IN nu6ibus
with him because il was u strong one. No
measure has been adopted merely because ''some-
| thing must be doue." The extoncies of a ianat-
ica war have never betrayed him into fanaticism,
/ NhA AuG Hudi ttiHBd VI shliEb uANH ltFtI uIhMu
from him an explanation Of ill humor, or even an
imprudent rejo uder
Depend upon it, the whole history of the war
proves that this quiet, unpretendng, awkward
man is on the whole filter subject for respect
than ridicue, even as public man, leaving al
together aside the consideration, once IL favorite
one in England, that he has raised himself liter
ally from nothing. But it is not IRON the history
OF the war that we draw to-day an illustration Of
| this cnugncnnug mana bonaaf and
thoughtful character We derive it from what
li,te private life he has had while hs has been at
| the wheel-where he must have been very k
| ion-of the great American ship. Last winter
| or spring-Mr. Linc9n does not well remember
whioh-he went to the theatre and saw Hackett,
an excellent actor, as few even in England need
he told Some time after Mr. Hackett sent the
President book with complimentary note -
But, having something more serious in hand. AIr
| Lincoln omitted for some time to use the player
after his own honor, 6nd did not acknowledge
tue present. AT length, however, in August
the acknowledgment was sent Now let US see
in what terms Mr.. Lincoln, the rough, uneduca-
ted. empty.ninded President, as some think him.
addressed the actor whose FestaH, after delight
ing tens of thousands, had CHANGED to be played
before him
EXECUTIVE MANSION
WASHINGTON, August II, 1868.
My DEAR Sir: Months ago, | should have
acknowledged the receipt OF your book aud ac-
compauying kind note, and now have to beg
your pardon for not having done so.
For one of my age | have seen very little Of
the drama. The first presentation of "FastaE ;"
ever saw was yours here last winter or spring.
Perhaps the best compliment eau pay is to say,
| rs uuly can, am very anxious to see it again.
Some of shaksPenr's phys l have never read,
while others | have gone over perhaps as fire.
quently as any unprofessional reader. Among the
latter are Lear, Richard Ill, Henry VIII, Ham
let, and especially Macbeth. l think none equals
Macbeth. 1t is wonderful. Unlike you gentle
men of the profession, think the sohoquy in
Hamlet commencing "0h, my offence is rank, d
surpasses that commencing "Io be or not to be- p
But pardon this small attempt ut criticism.
should like to hear you pronounce the opening
speech of Richard Ill.
Will you not soon visit Washington againi II
you do, please call, and let me make your per
sonal acquaintance. Yours, truly,
A. LINCOLN
Now, to US this letter speaks for itself as ia.
vOrably as any letter ever spoke. Its simplicity
and oandor are as fresh and delightful as new
mowu hay. Only fancy a statesman, Presi-
dent, confessing thus frankly he had never read
shakspear through How many British Nj. P ,,
I would have confessed it.! And yet how many Of
them there aTe who would have to own as much
If they were put to it. We meet arosnd intel
= lectual quasi intellectual dinner tables. W,
talk OF Shelley as iamilarly us Of sherry. ",
affect to laugush at the thought OF Pascal, auC
+ chuckle hypocritieaily over reference 10 Mon
iaene. We laugh consumodly at a quotation
from Juvenal If the quoter looks humorous, aul
. pretend to be otherwise occupied if the expires
sion of his c0untenauca is not very readable -
: We talk as familiary Of Rabelais as Of Hs
O weeks Pmieh mment on the uanscendental
ism of "Sart Reartus,' without the lHintes
( idea OF the tenor VI he book and narrowly es
cape denouncing Thomas Carlyle downright, IN
Q der the impression that he is Richard Carlyle
q the i,fie WIN outraged the orthodoxy OF GU
d fathers aud mothers. There 10 no more ubuad
II dant source Of sbam and pretensiOn than the nf
S iectoIiOn in society of being well read in til
works which gentemans library should b
d without Depend upon it, there is much goo
truth and honesty III any man, aud especially
& publc man, vino Adnires and respects Shak
j. speare, and yet voluntarily says he has not rea
n all bis phys.
y But We are II ore Aleased still with Mr.. Lincol
y for having read several Of the plays many time
I'd over 1t is far better for a man TO read ene Pa
sr twenty times because he loves it, than to rea
T. twenty plays once, because they constitute th
= authors works and must be gone through
Thara 10 ,,,,.h ;udieation of character too.