New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-03
JOHN hay AND JOHN NICOLA l..
THE BIOGRAPHIES OF LINCOLN.
From The october Century.

As 70 Lincoln what the world thirsts for is
the truth. the whole truth ana nStng nu VIZ linn Nav
From the hands OF john George Nlcolay anu 'onn my
shall have all that uo.,o.
they his devoted friends his faithful secretaries
as will presently be they have BY lie ana acquire
ment types of mind which give US the promise Oh
In communities like the Indiana and limos OF lorN
ctaiiaed hot,iouse treatment a If q boy were an
orchid other fral exotic to be ciassea away oh e
roug air of manhood but they mingled with men, saw
mons work to certain degree shared H. anu lou upon
mems books instead OF the deotahg ni'k nu M1c
literature which Is no" gwen hein' II 4" oo nu rt
manhood came little prematurey, 1t dld no harin Dut
much GGoa ~ i, gave rise to
those frank intimacies betwesn men lko Lincoln anu
Ro most educated western boy therefore they
knew in detail the political ME OF wnlon LI'Sh Of
much value in the interest Of Lincons bosralhy my
we're equally familiar with the new type OF mahhoou
which was sprnging up about them. .. o,o,
Hence there barrier OF IGNORANCE to prevent vent
these understanding Lincoln: 10 them sners
was Dothng battling that this outsrowth OF [
and hatboats should be tul OF teusieSs ",u onV,,
practice should rise and crush Douglas WIN Iolt!
argument and then lift the policy of the American
government from the mire OF cowardy compromise TO
| the firm high ground OF moral duty , . 800,
mated at Chicago Mr. NIcOlay at once selected 10y
him the most discreet ana competent person IN NE
reach To assume the charge OF his extensive correspond
ence SO perfect understanding grew mp dnrlhs 'he
campaign between Mr. Lincoln aud hs o.eretyS, may
after ns election he determined 10 make the relation
permanent one, and the first nomination inc fIeSteht
signed after his inausuration wa; a' Oh 'o"u !" 'O'
Ills con ndence was misplaced; for four years Mr
Nicolay served him with the greatest eVOtoh aDiS'
At twenty-one years of after q1iet boyhood and
few calm years OF university aud pr1lessio. ~
Hay flung suddenly into the uark Foroa ~ 'o9
h Prss,dsnt Evng With him in the White Honse
tanning day after day, relations OF the closest cou
and from the very OF position gained an accurate
knowledge OF the truth OF that s~y stnrtio6
public has too often ana 100 h1a Fly
oRe estimate and intentions of man.
share OF that Atasoa OF desperate perpex'Iy ana
| On the shoulders Of Lincoln; NOT only IN IN
Washington. by the side of the President, di IA
active military duty the field where a. assistant
on the stats Of Generals rails ane
service which the brevets OF ana
wSe s to the President
| and remained on duty to the end , -, ,,,o,
observation had watched the whole vast drama from
behind the scenes and more than an else tnsy Eau
oere con vicIou and by Fan in Divine Providence rise
and grow with the hour into giant stature r,o,r nm
| The country lived and laughed again. Every one
his Nlcolay and Hay went to Paris; Nleoia
appointed to To- sG woe hs post
In the intervals OF his regular official duties
| HAY refreshed himself with deep draughts from
| the streams OF literature and art when wafer
and fertize lowery capital and flov on into the
Great mother river OF tie intellectual world OF Europe
There. too, gather from his writings, he mauc as
we all do. his knocking bow 10 the modern god oonven-
tionality. that child OF arhce and vanity whom they
over there have deed without waiting ike good Lalhs
Thongh he began without especial advantages. and
though has never been favored with robust heab'
there are few men who OF life than Mr.
| Nicoay With little assistance from teachers lie mas
sas made himself thoroughly acquainted with all
| that is best worth knowing 10 English, French
aud German iteraure he Is an Intelligent como 'seur
of music lover OF art, and something OF aa artist MN
self. He has unusual comprehension OF mechanical
| principles has devised and patented numerous InVen
tons which he has never had the time or perhaps tne
| inclination to turn to pecuniary advantage. lie was
Mr. uav- he nj d
lied by the exactng claims OF their historical work,-a
prose ana verse and l. OF the admirable vol
ume with which Charles criDners n 1n =. ons nnt
rank by tho unanimous verdict OF neiiigent critics as
oneof the best OF the series IL Is called
valuable account YET printed OF tae events
down TO the battle OF Bull Run. The hand
OF master may I've recognized IN hurried sketch as
we'll finished picture aud this ilte DOCK showed
Mr. Noolay to possess the Indispensable qualifications
OF an observation-disclosures OF temper un alhng cahdoi
rangement OF facts and unusual cletrnes ana decision
Of Judgment entirely free from d0gnasm or prejudice.
HAYS stay in Europe from 1860 TO 1870 was, IS Is
plain all who know him. period OF constan, ana ue
voted study The intervals OF duty were Examined iu
OF and reading not merely OF art and letters
| but OF diplomacy and satesmanship That ne came
back hrmer Republican than he went Is known
That he mad IN common with the of his country
men reduced the strained pitch OF 10
the vable tones of every day dscerube from The
spirit of the able leaders he wrote from 1871
to 1875 in the NEwYoKK TRIBUNE, a series which
reflected in scholarly finish and wide world knowledge
the ripe results OF his years OF European study.
1t was period that besides numerous contriDu
lions TO the MAGAZINES. he published Castian Days
aud " Pike County Bailads,"-the one group OF mas
tsrly Of land and people with glory and great
ness behind them; land In the afternoon or lie with
the fading Hight OF declining history pouring back ove
heroes and armies castle wall aud cathedral spre
| ginning single ray ON the helmet OF Don QuiAote
touching tna crumbiug towers OF the Vlslgoths, an,
falling mellow and full upon the Inspired canvHses o
VeiasQuez and Murillo; the othor siheng oil th'
deeds OF those rough, demigois ofPke, race
crude fashioned out OF Mississippi River mud witt
bowie knife, archaic AS H0nefs Groeks, as shagzl
and their early ancestors OF the Rhns Oh
| whom Cesar put his iron heel.
He should be ranked reaist In the art OF liter
Azure aud by that 10 not meant one VINO Is c0ntente
with the visible actuates OF men and nature but Ia
has lima and poetic vision enough 90 ruthiulil
| discern those equally actual motives and tendencle
| winch constitute the whole hidden ffame-Tork o
socety To be reast In that sense Is simply not TO b
driven from normal sound conception OF the ma terra
external facts OF ie by the powerful current whlc
surges through the channels or thought ana feeling
all poetic natures The greatest realist Is he who Cal
keep hts feet always the solid bottom while wadni
deepest into the foamng river Of e and such is Hay