The Dickinson press., 1911-02-11
|NCERSOLL' s
TRIBUTE TO >
LINCOLN . >
: r N G e
mineling
Of lmirth
and tears,
Of thu
tragic and
orotesque,
Of Soc.
rates and
Rabelais,
Of Aesop
and Mar
Gus Azure.

and Mar.
Gus Aure-.
illus, Of all that is gentle and
just, humorous and honest, NOR
cifuI, wise, laushabIe, lovable
and divine, and all conseerated
to the use Of man, while through
all and over all an overwheIm-
ing sense Of obligation, Of ehivaI-
rio loyalty to truth and upon all .
the shadow Of the tragic end.
LINCOLN was not a type. He
stands aIone-no ancestors, no
fellows and no successors. He
knew and mingled with men Of
every kind, and, after all, mon
are tho best books.
Lincoln never finished his edu-
cation. To the night Of his
death he was a pupil, a learner,
an inquirer, a seeker after
knowledge.
@ Lincoln was a many sided man,
acquainted with smiles and
tears, complex in brain, single
in heart, direct. as light, and his
words, candid as mirrors, gave
the perfect image Of his thought.
He was never afraid to ask,
never toe, dignified to admit that
he did not know. No man had
keener wit or kinder humor.
He was no. solemn. Solemnity
is a mask worn by ignorance
and hypocrisy. 1t is tho preface,
prologue and index to the cum
ming or the stupid. He was nat
uraI in his life and thought,
master Of the. story teIler's art,
in application perfect, liberal in
speech, shocking Pharisee and
prudes, using any word that wit
could disinfect.
He Waa an orator-clear, sim
cere, natural. He did not pre-
tend. He did not say what he
thought others thought, but
what he thought.
If you wish to know the diff
ference between an orator and an
elocutionist, between what is
felt and what is said, between
what the heart and brain can do
together and what the brain can
do alone, read LincoIn's WON
drous words at Gettysburg and
then the speech Of Edward
Everett. The Grafton Of Lincoln
will nexers be forgotten. It will
live until languages r dead
and lips are dust. Tho speech
of Everett will never be read.
Lincoln was an immense per-
sonality-firm, but not obstinate.
obstinaey is esotism-firmness,
heroism. He: Influenced others
without effort, unconsciously,
and they submitted to him as
men submit to nature, uneon-
sciously. He was severe with
himself and for that reason
lenient with others. He appear
ed to apologize for being kinder
than his fellows. He did merci-
full things as stealthily as others
committed crimes.
He knew others because per-
feetly acquainted with himself.
He cared nothing for place, but
everything for principle; moth
ing for money, but everything
for Independence.
He knew neither tyrant nor
slave. He neither knott nor
seorned. With him mon were
neither great nor small; they
were right or wrong. Through
manners, clothes, titles, rags
and race he saw the reaI-that
which is. Beyond accident,
policy, compromise and war he
saw the end.
He was patient as destiny,
whose undecipherabIe HERO
slyphs were so deeply craven
on his sad and tragic face.
It is the glory Of Lincoln that,
having almost absolute power,
he never abused It except on the
side Of mercy.
Wealth could not purchase,
power could not awe this divine,
this loving man. He knew no
fear except the fear Of doing
wrong. He spoke not to inflame,
not to up
braid, but ~a11@==7==a7zzzaSl