The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-03-01
WHAT GEOMETRY DID FOR MIR.
LINCOLN.

WHAT GEOMETRY DID FOR MIR.
LINCOLN.
Now, boys, let us have a little talk
about geometry. You know it has been
a famous study for boys for many ages.
Euclid was an old Egyptian, who lived
about three hundred years before Christ
His treatise on geometry has been the
foundation for all modern works upon
the subject. Plato, who lived a century
earlier, founded n noted academy at
Athens, and it is related that over its
entrance he placed this celebrated in
scriution: Let no one ignorant of ge-
ometry enter here" This branch has
been considered an important part of
good education for two thousand years.
Yet l hear many boys in these days
saying: 81 don't like geometry.
wonder what good it will do me-" I
once heard very interesting story
about Abraham Lincoln which may
help you to understand the good"
Before Mr.. Lincoln was a candidate for
President he made tour through New
England and lectured in many cities
and towns. Among other places he
spoke in Norwich, Conn. A gentleman
who heard him and was struck with his
remarkable logical power rode the next
day in the cars with Mr.. Lincoln to
New Haven. During the ride the fol-
lowing conversation took place.
"Mr Lincoln, l was delighted with
your lecture last evening""
"Oh, thank you, but that was not
much of lecture; can do better than
that"
e I ;roNIp.
for whoever can do so WELL must inev-
itably be able to do better"
Well you are good reasoner, aren't
you? That is cute"
"But that reminds me-" continued
! the gentleman, ''to ask how you ac-
quired your wonderful logical power. L
have heard that you are entirely self
educated, and it is seldom that | find q
self-educated man who has good sys-
tenn of logic in his reasoning. How did
you acquire such an acute power of
analysis?"
"Well, Mr. g., will tell you. 1t was
my terrible discouragement which did
that for me-"
Your Encouragement = what do
you meanP"
you see," said Mr. Lincoln, "that
when l was about eighteen years of age
| went into an Office to study law.
Well, after little while / saw that a
lawyers business was largely to prove
things. And / said to myself: Lin
coin, when is thing provedP' That
was q poser. | could not answer the
question. What constitutes proof?
Not evidence, that was not the point.
There may be evidence enough, but
where consists the proof You remem-
Der the old story Of the German who
was tried for some crime, and they
brought half a dozen respectable men
who swore that they saw the prisoner
commit the crime. Well he replies,
'vot of dat? Six men schwears dot dey
saw me do it; l brings more nor two
tozen goot men who sohwears dey did
not see me do it, So, wherein is the
proofs | groaned over the question,
and finally said to myself; 'Ah, Lincoln
you cant tell Then thought: what
use is it for me to be in a law-office if
can't tell when thing is provedP Sc
l gave it up and left the office, ano
went back home, over in Kentucky"
$50 you gave up the lawP"
sob, Mr. g., don't jump at your con
clusions that isn't logical. But, really
| did give up the law, and l thought
should never go back to it. This was il
the fall OF the year. Soon after re
turned to the old log-cabin / fell in will
a copy of Euclid. l had not the slight
est notion what Euclid was, and
thought l would find out. | found out
but it was no easy job. looked int
the book and found it was all abou
lines. angles, surfaces and solids; but
could not understand it all. | therefor
: began, very deliberately, at the begin
ming. learned the definitions anC
, axioms. | demonstrated the first prop
ositon; l said that is simple enough.
went on to the next, and the next; ant
, before spring had gone through tina
, old Euclid's geometry, and could dem
' onstrate every proposition like book
: l knew it all from beginning to end. Yo
/ could not stick me on the hardest O
them. Then, in the spring, when ha
!. got through with it, | said to mysel
t one day: 'Ah. do YOU know now whe
a a thing is proved?' And 1 answere
, right out loud: Yes, sir, l do 'Thel
YOU may go back to the law-shop;' an
7 ] went.
! "Thank you, Mr.. Lincoln, for tina
! story. You have answered my question
. | see now where you found your logic,
| acumen; you dug it out OF that geon
etry."
Yes I did. often by the li0ht