The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-14


ISAAC N. ARNoLD's History of Abra-
ham Lincoln and the overthrow OF SIa.
very" is just published in Chicago, by
Clarke & Co. Mr.. Arnold was long the
intimate friend of Mr.. Lincoln, and his
narrative has fresh and peculiar in
terest. We have space to-day only to
announce the book and to COPY the fol-
lowing passages:
1.-THE two books which he read most
were the Bible and Shakespeare. With
these he was very familiar, reading and
studying them habitually and constant
ly. He had great fondness for poetry
and eloquence, and his taste and judg-
ment in each was exquisite. Shaks-
peare was his favorite poet, Burns
stood next. Holmes beautiful poem,
The Last Leaf was with him a great
favorite. The following verse he re-
garded as equal to anything in the lam
guage:
1.-THE NOISY marbles rest
On lips that he has pressed
In their bloom,
And the names he loved to hear,
Have been carved for many a year,
On the tomb
she made a speech at a Burns fssti-
val in which he spoke at length of
Burns's poems; illustrating what he
said by many quotations, which was
listened to with the greatest pleasure
but it was unfortunately never report
ed. He was extremely fond of ballads,
and simple, sad and plaintive music.
HE was most admirable reader.
He read and recited from the Bible and
Shakespeare with great simplicity, but
remarkable expression and effect. OF
ten when going to and from the army.
on the steamers and in his carriage, he
took a copy of Shakespeare with him,
and not uufrequently read aloud to his
associates. Atter cOnversing upon pub
lie affairs, he would take up his Shak-
speare, and addressing his companions.
remark, What do you say now to a
scene from Macbeth, or Hamlet and
then he would read aloud, scene after
scene, never seeming to tire of the en-
Joyment. On the last Sunday of his
life, as he was coming up the Potomac
from his visit to City Point and Rich
mond, he read many extracts from
Shakespeare. Among other things, he
read, with accent and feeling which no
one who heard him will ever forget, ex-
tracts from Macbeth, and among others,
the following:
"'Duncan is in his grave;
AMER life's ntrul fever, he sleeps well,
Treason has done his worst; nor steel, nor
Can touch him further
"After treason had done his worst. {,
the friends who heard him on that oc-
casion, remembered that he read that
passage over twice, and with an alb
sorbed and peculiar manner. Did he
feel a mysterious presentiment of his
approaching tate?
His conversation was suggestive.
original, instructive, and pIayful; and
by its genial humor, fascinating and
attractive beyond comparison. Mirth-
fulness and sadness were stronglycom-
bined in him. His mirth was exuber-
ant, it sparkled in jest, story, and
anecdote; and the next moment those
peculiarly sad, pathetic, melancholy
eyes showed a man familiar with sor-
row and acquainted with grief' have
listened for hours at his table, and else
where, when he has been surrounded
by statesmen, military leaders and
other great men of the nation, and 1
but repeat the universally-concurri
verdict of all, in stating that as a con-
versationalist he had no equal. One
might meet In company with him the
most distinguished men, of various
pursuits and professions, but after lis
tening for two or three hours, on sepa-
rating, it was what Lincoln said that
would be remembered. His ideas and
his Illustrations were those that would
not be forgotten. Men often called up
on him for the purpose of listening to
him. have heard the reply to an in
vitation to attend the theatre: No, L
am going up to the White House-I
would rather hear Lincoln talk for
halfa hour than attend the best thea
ire in the country"