New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-23

MoRsE's NEW PHILOSOPHICAL BIOGRAPHY.


The time has passed when bographcr OF
Lincoln can undertake original investigation or
research. That marvellous career. which men
with one consent regard as unique in history
las been explored from its obscure origin 10
its dramatic close ly scores of sympathetic
writer's. Neither reaping nor cleaning remains
TO be done We doubt if single new iac'
about Abraham Lincoln he revealed in this new
biography from the hand OF the editor of the
American Statesmen Series. 1t is contribution
TO the philosophy Of biography which the ac-
complishcd author practically maHos. Nicolay.
Hay Arnold. IIerndon. LamOn. Raymond, liol-
land and other hioerapheIs have done Their
work so thoroughly that volumnous Lincoln
library has been collected. TO this mass OF
literature written on varying lines and IRON
diverse points Of view. Mr.. Morse applies the
synthetic method. and brings ont of it com
positc picture, shaded and toned by the investi-
gators who have been at work before him.
The authors previous essays in biography Of
fered inadequate preparation for an analysis OF
the character and genius of Lincoln. Franklin,
IeTcrSo,t John Adams and John Quincy
Adams, We're characters easily comprehensive.
Their memoirs, letters speeches and state papers
revealed unerringlv their distinctive traits and
while their biographers might not be in accord
fairly distinct Lincoln has been, like Shakes
pcarc. a human enigma Every writer is OPP
Pressed with consciousness Of sheer inability
10 explain the mystery of such a man as Lincoln
was. Every new life has been strongly coorei
by the intellectual quality and moral tone OF
the bographer: and this has come about nat
urally, for Lincoln, like Shakespeare. has meant
different things to different men. The author
has not only been embarrassed by the accumc-
laton of material from hundreds Of pens. but
lie has also been confused by the essential nm
likeness of the biographical pictures OF LIN
coln which represented the man, not as every
cne saw him. but tho special observer was
able 10 unravel the mystery of his character 1t
would he undue and rnintcg"nt praise to assert
that he has been wholly successful in the com
posite photograph which he presents in these
raros. INT he has done useful work in rep
rcsenting Lincoln as the most individual man
who ever lived with humannnss Of nature as
the greatest most distinctive aHd ABIDING ualI'
It is this distinguishing characteristic on when
the author lays stress alike II his opening chap-
ter and in his closing pages. Let Us TAX
him." he says, simply as Abraham Lincoln. d.
we all see that he was: let us he thahkiui "
we can make niche big enough for him amoh2
the worlds heroes, without worrying OURS
about the proportions which it may Dear u o'i'''
inches: and there let him remain ioi''
lonely as in his strange lifetime Impressive
mysterious unmeasurcd and unsOlV"'
The spirit in which the opening scenes VI i'''
oo,n,s Efo oro described Is TO be commented rs
candid without being stark naked. after iierh"oh
manner Some of the boeraphers have drawn an
idea, nicture of his mother a. Madonna III inc
Wilderness. and of his father a. gaiihH HUE
tiersman. endowed with many noble 0uah.is. ~
Lincoln himself was retcent about ms chi'o'oo''
and parentagc. vet ncvJr mate any a'''"P
renresent the facts better thln u'N i'",'
were so Mr. Morse passes lightly over 'Ne io"H''
coarse poverty-strcken surroundings OF Tue ioi0'
homo without having recourse to euphehlsn am
romantic colorng. An artistic backgrouh" LOT 'i'c
origin of the great President Is furnlsheu ho' -
a,roro,irq the qualities of the shiftless parents
who were apparently at the bottom OF existence
in pioncer settlements. and without capacity or
desire ia rise. but by defining the moral ana
,brsical surroundings of his early days in the new
West An important trait Of these cOmmuhitie3
wac the coscness of personal intercourse in them
and the utter lack of any kind OF barriers estao-
fishing strata Of society All had to rub shoulder
20 shoulder in daily life. They all ceaseiessiy
crossed. mingled, met. talked. dealt. helped ana
hustled each other and were inocuated with cHr-
tain characteristics which became common TO all
carly settlers In the authors vivid language
An eternal movement. tirclcss coming ana
e,oino nprvaded these men: they passed miner
and thithcr without pause, phintasIDag0rlcaIiy
they seemed to be for ever moving on. some W
cause they were real pioneers ana haIurd IoNeun,
others because they were mere Migrants gencrany
6rftino' away from creditors, others because inc
better chance seemed ever III the newer place anu
all because they had struck no roots, gatheicu 10
associations. no home ties, no local Dc!o.l"ihHs
Tbo sbonEccper moved on when his notes became
too pressing: the schoolnastcr. after shor' sIaA
In his school TO some successor. whose accom-
clercymcn ranged vaguely through the country
10 preach, TO pray, to bury. TO marry as th1 cas-
mi1ht he: farmers heard Of a more frultinl SOIL
.nd went 10 seek IT, Men certainly had az tunes
TO work hard in order TO live at all; yer II was
nerfectly possible for the natural ldlcr to rove
10 loaf, and TO be slii'iess az fnr yhom
a shirt and trousers are the sum OF worldly pos
In the early DAYS there almost no money
amorq the peoplc: sometimes barter was rcsorted
TO: one lover paid for his MARRIAGE license witn
mamie sugar another with wolf scalps' more often
promise suflced credit was system wen u'iurI-
s.ro1 and proInissory notes constituted an m
questioned and popular method OF payment th'i'
would have made millennium Tor Mr. M'c iNei
But however scant might be cash ana houses,
acS town had It's grocery, and these famous
stores were by far the Chief influence IN sap,I
the ideas of the Westcrncr he rH a n ,bc
evening: and there, stimulated ny the whlShey
of the proprietor. thcy g0sslped apout pous
affairs talked about business ana ,lc PIosp mo
tics of the county. che State and even OF tno
Nation Jokes and stories, often most unconth
and GROSS whilod away the time =. 10 ms
II is matter of tradition that Lincoln contributed
literally lie liked ncighborlv chat and discus
sion and his fondness for political debate ana ms
gifts In tale and Jest made lin the moSt popular
man in every store that he entered IT Is com
monty believed that this familiarity with coarse
talk did not aftcrward disappear so that he never
became fastidious in language or in story. l''
opoloeists OF this habit are doubtless corrcct IN
saving that vulgartv i'll itself had no attract!on
for him: it simply did not repcl him whch VIA
il there was n flavor of humor or ii useful point
Apparently il simply meant nothing 10 MN: Il
mental attitude which is not difficult OF conprc-
hcnsion in view OF its origin.
II is from such a background as this that
Lincoln looms out of obscurity as man IN c'osc
and sympathetic tonch with the social BODY amid
which he dwelt. First this group or b0dy WAS
%bo Of fha