The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-17

LINCOLN MAKING ONE OF HIS EARLY
SPEECHES.
argument even, Mr. Lincoln was able to
make point or 70 suggest an idea were pure
inventions Of his, made many times upon
the spot. They are certainly pure allegories,
quite as suggestive as many Of Hsop's
fables, and reveal what TO Lincoln himself
was an unconscious literary faculty.
IL il the common opinion Of the ablest crit
les and the common appreciation of all men
that Lincolns Gettysburg address in sub
Unity Of thought, loftiness and appropri-
ateness Of expression and purity of its die
ton Il the most classic utterance of any
American and will take rank in history
with some OF the profOuhdest sentences Of
Shakespeare, and il has been supposed that
il was an almost eXtemporaueous address,
revealing Lincoln command of the highest
literary qualities even in sudden emergen-
oy. But a recent paper written by one who
had abundant authority TO know what Mr..
Lincoln's methods Of composition were has
made il plain that this address, like every
other speech or writing that contains the
seeds Of immortality, was labOrious COM
position. Mr.. Lincoln thought much upon
IL, and it was always his habit 10 compose
mentally before be committed his thoughts
10 paper In fact, the mere work Of writing
was mechanical - almost automatic AS
some slips Of the pen in the first draft Of
that speech show.
After the speech was delivered 10 wassub-
jected by Mr. Lincoln 90 most painstaking
INSTRUMENTATION which reveals his intui-
tive perception Of the canons Of literary
form
Ina visit to the New England states
about three months before he was nomi-
mated for the presidency Mr. Lincoln met
the Rev Dr. John =. Gulliver, "a very able
clergyman, who died recently while hold
ing "a professor chair iu the Aud0yer SEM
mary. DIR. Guiliver bad heard OF Lincoln
a. country lawyer of tine west who had
made some sueechcs which We're regarded
a. more powerful than those delivered by
Douglas, then esteemed The most brilliant
deoater of the time. Therefore. having OPP
portuuity, DIR. GuliiVcr went 10 hear this
country lawyer. expecting TO end a quaint,
perhaps original, bat wholly uurhetoricaI
discourse. without ans literary graccs, but
only such rough mauueri-ms and sugges-
tioHs as would appeal 90 "a political throng.
On the following morning Dr. Gulliver
met Mr. Lincoln upon the train. took "a seat
beside i.m and said i0 him that he was
amazingly disappointed with The speech
and most happily disappointed. for bee said.
your addres. was uut only mastery boo It's
logic most skilul iu 3D., presentations.
but &c. had "a literary charm. 10 was pre-.
scented vif- such perfection Of style, So fu
as the u-- ~ language is concerned, that
feel imyaiicd 20 ask you how sou mastered
that bic, since the report ha. been made
il Tie east that sou were an uulettered
country lawyer Who had had very brief
schooling
M Lincoln seemed pleased o. hear this
compliment, lor be- bad an honest pride ia
appearing well before the cultured people
Of the country. lie said that bee presumed
thai u be had any capacity Tor logical pres,
eutation Do wa- partly natural and partly
due % 90 habit which hc had adopted early
IN lfe 81 never opening Ills lips 90 speak
upon any matter which was not a. clear "a
his own mind as She simplest seutenc,
could be-. Thus he had trained himself Z,
speak so that either people could under
stand him. because be- himself understood
what BE- was that be wanted 20 say.
lie said that Lc had uuc0usciously, per
hapa learned 10 speak with precision and
with a happy choice of words because b,
had read over and over again the Bible
hhakespeaTe. "Hsop's Fables" and had
Rad an abridged dictionary which be pos
hessed 30 frequently, studying every ,sUrl
ia Be-. that be- almost knew b. by heart II
was bis opinion that only By such habit a.
that was il possible for a imam iu the highe.
forms Of discourse 20 obtain comqlct,
mastery over language. r. j. EDWARDS