Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 February 1893 — THE BIBLE AND SHAKSPEARE. [ARTICLE]

THE BIBLE AND SHAKSPEARE.

Grand Books Which Fed Lincoln's Remarkable Intellect. Any one hearing him express his ideas or think aloud, either upon one of the great topics which absorbed him or on an incidental question,was not long in finding out the marvelous rectitude of his mind nor the accuracy of his judgment, writes the Marquir de Chambrun in Scribner. I have heard him give his opinion . on statesmen, argue political prob- ’ lems, always with astounding precision and justness. I have heard him speak of a woman who was considered beautiful, discuss the partij cular character of her appearance, distinguish what was praiseworthy from what was open to criticism, all that with the sagacity of an artist. Lately two letters, in which he speaks of Shakespeare, and in particular of Macbeth, have been published. His judgement evinces that sort of delicacy and soundness of taste that would honor a great literary critic. He had formed himself by the difficult and powerful processor lonely meditation. During his rough and humble life he had had constantly with him two books which the western settler always keeps on one of the shelves of his hut —the bible and Shakespeare. From the bible he had absorbed that religious color in which he was pleased to clothe his thoughts; with Shakespeare he had learned to reflect on man and passions. In certain respects one can question whether that sort of intellectual culture be not more penetrating than any other, and if it be not more particularly suited in the development of a gifted mind to pres--orre its native originality.