Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1893 — Lincoln’s Intellect. [ARTICLE]

Lincoln’s Intellect.

Marquis de Chambrun in Scribner's. ■— 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. I have heard him give his opinion on statesmen, argue political problems, always with astounding precision and justness. I have heard him speak of a woman who was considered beautiful, discuss the particular 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 Macbqth, have been published. His judgment 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 process of lonely meditation. During his rough and humble life he bad constantly with him two books which the western settler always keeps on one of the shelves of his hut —the Bible and Shakspeare. From the Bible he had absorbed that religious color fin which he was pleased to clothe his thoughts; with Shakspeare 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 preserve its native originality. These reflections may serve to explain Mr. Lincoln’s talent as an orator. His incisive speech found its. way to the very depths of the soul; his short and clear sentences would captivate the audiences on which they fell. To him was given to see nearly all his definitions pass into daily proverbs. It is he who, better than any one, stamped the character of the war in these well-known words, spoken some years before it broke out: “A house divided against itself can not stand; this government can not continue to exist half free and half slave.” * A. L. Pogue, a Richmond capitalist. ha* filed mortgages to the amount of f63.(T0 on certain property in that city belonging to himself.