Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-03-21
INGERSOLL ON LINCOLN.
His Introduction to a Lecture on
Lawyer Lincoln by the
.Crier of the Court

The following is Colonel Robert G..
Ingersoll's introduction to lecture de-
livered in Washington by Mr.. Kidd,
who was once crier of court in which
Abraham Lincoln often practiced law ::
1--WE are to hear this evening a lee
ture about Abraham Lincoln. Not
about Lincoln the President, the pre-
server of a nation; not about Lincoln
the statesman or liberator, hut about
Lincoln the Understanding about
him as be really was before he fell
heir to agony and fame-something
about his pecularities, his habits, his
thoughts, and common words-that is
to say his daily life.
Nearly all the characters of history
are impossible monsters. We know
nothing about their peculiarities.
Washington is only a steel-engraving.
About the roots of these oaks there
clings none of the earth of humanity
Lincoln had the advantage of living
in new country, of social equality,
of seeing in the horizon of his future
the perpetual star of hope. He saw
and mingled with men of all kinds;
and, after all, men are books. He be-
came acquainted with nature-with
things; he lived and appreciated the
poem of the year
'1t is no advantage to live in city.
The fields are better than paved streets,
and the great forests than walls OF
brick. Oaks and elms are more poetic
than the stacks of chimney of factories
In the country is the idea Of home.
There you see the rising and the set
ting sun; you become acquainted with
the stars and clouds; you hear the
rain upon the roof and listen to the
signing of the wind Every field is a
picture, landscape; every landscape
is a poem, and every forest is a fairy
land.
"You have no idea how many men
are spoiled by what is called 'educa-
ton For the most part colleges are
places where bricks are polished and
diamonds spoiled If Shakespeare had
graduated at Oxford he might have
become quibbling attorney or hypo-
critical person.
Lincoln was many-sided man
He was acquainted with smiles as well
as tears. He was never afraid to ask.
He was not too digniGed TO admit that
he did not know He was not solemn.
Solemnity, as rule, is mask, hiding
| the features of ignorance, and when
ever a man is too dignited to ask he
ceases to learn. Lincoln was COM
bination of wisdom and shrewdness.
He was logician. Logic is the nee
essary product of intelligence and hon
esty. 1t cannot be learned; it cannot
be taught. 1t is the child of good
head and good heart. He had in
tellect without arrogance, genius with
out pride, and religion without can't
that is to say, humanity without hy-
pocrisy. He was an orator-that is
to say he was natural. He never pre-
tended. He did not say what he
thought others thought, but what he
thought.
"If you wish to be sublime, you
must keep close to the grass. You
must sit by the freside of human ex-
perience, of human emotion. Above
the clouds it is too cold Too much
polish suggests insincerity. If you
wish to know the difference between
an orator and speaker, between what is
felt and what is said, read Lincoln's
immortal words at Gettysburg, and
then read the speech of Edward
Everett. The one gathered flowers
from his heart, the other words from
his BRAIN The words of Lincoln will
never be forgotten The speech O
Everett will never be read. The elo
cutionists believe in the virtue of voice
the sublimity of syntax, the majesty o
long sentences ard the genius of gest
ure. Great ideas should be expressed
in the shortest words. The creates
statues should have the least drapery
Nothing discloses real character
like power 1t is easy for the weak tC
be gentle Most people can bear adver
sity; but if you wish to know what 6
man really is give him power. This is
the supreme test. 1t is the glory o
Lincoln that, having almost absolute
power, he never sbused IL except on the
side of mercy. He would never turn {
man out of even the smallest Office. anC
leave stain upon his name withou
having giving him full and ample
hearing. He loved to pardon. HI
loved to see the tears of joy upon the
cheeks of wife whose husband he ha(
rescued from death.
"He will be known through all tht
years as Lincoln the Great, Lincoln th'
Gentle, Lincoln the Just"