“I am an entire stranger to University life in the University sense,” says Mr. Bright. “I may be said to be a man who never had the advantages{79} of education. I had the teaching of some French—as Englishmen teach French, and I had the advantages of a year’s instruction in Latin by a most admirable tutor—a countryman of yours from the University of Edinburgh. But there was not much Greek—not so much that any trace of it is left. There was nothing in the shape of mathematics or science. Looking at education as you take it, I am a person who had the misfortune to have had almost none of it in my youth. You will not, therefore, be surprised if I feel a certain humiliation3 in seeming to teach you anything, and if I feel a strong sense of envy—but not a blamable envy—that I never possessed4 the advantages which are placed within your reach. But if I had no education such as colleges and universities give, if my school-life ended at the precise time when your university career begins; if I am unknown to literature and to science and to arts, I ask myself what is it that has brought me within the range of your sympathies—brought me to this distinguished5 position? I suppose it must be because you have some sympathy with my labors6. You believe that I have been in some sort a political teacher; that I have{80} taken some pains and perhaps have been of some service in the legislation and government of our country.”
Had Lincoln possessed one-half the educational equipment of John Bright when he entered upon political life he would have felt much better satisfied.
Abraham Lincoln on his return from the Black Hawk7 campaign was twenty-three years old. Though he was about as poor as he had always been, he was rich in the good opinion of his friends and neighbors. This is evinced by an application then made to him to allow himself to run for the Legislature. He consented, though surprised at the request, and polled a vote considerably8 in advance of other candidates of the same party. In New Salem he polled an almost unanimous vote, men voting for him without regard to party lines. Still, he was defeated. A brief speech which he made during the canvass9 has been preserved, and, as it is characteristic, I quote it:
“Gentlemen and Fellow-citizens: I presume you all know who I am. I am humble10 Abraham Lincoln. I have been solicited11 by{81} many friends to become a candidate for the Legislature. My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman’s dance. I am in favor of a national bank. I am in favor of the internal improvement system and a high protective tariff12. These are my sentiments and political principles. If elected, I shall be thankful; if not, it will be all the same.”
It will be seen that Mr. Lincoln had cast in his lot with the Whig party—the party of whom Henry Clay was at that time the most distinguished representative, and for whom the young man had a strong admiration13.
The great problem of how he was to make his living had not yet been solved by young Lincoln. Dr. Holland is our authority for the statement that he seriously took into consideration the project of learning the blacksmith’s trade. An opportunity, however, offered for him to buy out a stock of goods owned by a man of Radford, in connection with a man named Berry. This supplied him employment for a time, but not of a profitable nature, for his partner proved a hindrance14 rather than a help, and failure ensued. Lincoln was involved in debt, and it was six years before he{82} freed himself from his obligations. About this time he received his first political appointment—that of postmaster—from the administration of General Jackson. It brought in very little revenue, but gave him a privilege which he valued of reading all the newspapers which came to the office. The office seemed to have been conducted in free and easy style. When the young postmaster had occasion to go out he closed the office and carried off the mail matter in his hat.
When his store was closed permanently15, young Lincoln received an offer from the surveyor of Sangamon County to undertake all his work in the immediate16 neighborhood of New Salem. Though Lincoln knew nothing of surveying, either practically or theoretically, he qualified17 himself for the work, procured18 a compass and chain, and went to work. It is an interesting proof of the young surveyor’s thoroughness that, in spite of his inadequate19 preparation, the accuracy of his surveys has never been called in question.
Two years later Lincoln ran again for the Legislature, and this time he succeeded. Among his colleagues was Major John T. Stuart, a prosperous{83} lawyer of Springfield. He was a previous acquaintance of young Lincoln, and their present companionship strengthened the interest of the older man in his struggling young friend.
“Why don’t you study law?” he asked Lincoln.
“Because I am poor; I have no money to buy the necessary books,” said Abe.
“Have you ever thought of following the profession?”
“Yes, I have already read law some.”
“I believe you would succeed. If books are all you need, I have a large law library and will lend you what you need.”
Abe’s face lighted up with pleasure.
“You are very kind,” he said, “and I will take you at your word. When can I have the books?”
“Whenever you will call for them.”
This was not an offer which young Lincoln could afford to slight. At the close of the canvass he walked to Springfield, called at the office of his friend Stuart, and returned to New Salem with a load of books, which he forthwith began to read and study.
“Abe’s progress in the law,” says Mr. Lamon,{84} “was as surprising as the intensity20 of his application to study. He never lost a moment that might be improved. It is even said that he read and recited to himself on the road and by the wayside, as he came down from Springfield with the books he had borrowed from Stuart. The first time he went up he had ‘mastered’ forty pages of Blackstone before he got back. It was not long until, with his restless desire to be doing something practical, he began to turn his acquisitions to account in forwarding the business of his neighbors. He wrote deeds, contracts, notes, and other legal papers, for them, ‘using a small dictionary and an old form-book’; pettifogged incessantly21 before the justice of the peace, and probably assisted that functionary22 in the administration of justice as much as he benefited his own clients. This species of country student practice was entered upon very early, and kept up until long after he was a distinguished man in the Legislature. But in all this he was only trying himself; as he was not admitted to the bar until 1837, he did not regard it as legitimate23 practice, and never charged a penny for his services.”{85}
Young Lincoln took part in the legislative24 work of the first session during which he served as a member, but did not push himself forward. He listened and took notes of what was done, and how it was done. He was assigned to an honorable place on the Committee on Public Accounts and Expenditures25. It was about this time that he saw for the first time Stephen A. Douglas, with whom he was in after years to be associated in the memorable26 canvass for the Senatorship. Douglas, who was only about five feet in height, was also slender, and in personal appearance presented a striking contrast to the long-legged young legislator who overtopped him by more than a foot.
“He is the smallest man I ever saw,” said Lincoln.
Douglas filled up as he grew older, till he came to deserve the title by which he was so long known, of “The Little Giant.” He was not at that time a member of the Legislature, but was a successful candidate for the position of District Attorney for the district in which he lived. Unlike Lincoln, he was not a Western man by birth, having been born and “raised” in Vermont. In{86} fact he had only come West during the previous year; but he was not a man to hide his light under a bushel, and soon worked himself into prominence27 in his new home. Two years later, in 1838, Douglas, as well as Lincoln, was elected to the Legislature, and they served together. In public life, therefore, Lincoln preceded Douglas by two years, but the latter advanced much more rapidly and became a man of national reputation, while Lincoln was still comparatively obscure.{87}
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1
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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7
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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canvass
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| v.招徕顾客，兜售；游说；详细检查，讨论 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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solicited
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| v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求 | |
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tariff
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| n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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hindrance
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| n.妨碍，障碍 | |
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permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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legislative
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| n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的 | |
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expenditures
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| n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费 | |
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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prominence
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| n.突出；显著；杰出；重要 | |
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