“It had been reported by some of Mr. Lincoln’s political enemies that he was a man who lived in the lowest Hoosier style, and I thought I would see for myself. Accordingly, as soon as the business of the Convention was closed, I took the cars for Springfield. I found Mr. Lincoln living in a handsome, but not pretentious4, double two-story frame house, having a wide hall running through the center, with parlors5 on both sides, neatly6, but{192} not ostentatiously furnished. It was just such a dwelling7 as a majority of the well-to-do residents of these fine Western towns occupy. Everything about it had a look of comfort and independence. The library I remarked in passing particularly, and I was pleased to see long rows of books, which told of the scholarly tastes and culture of the family.
“Lincoln received us with great, and, to me, surprising, urbanity. I had seen him before in New York, and brought with me an impression of his awkward and ungainly manner; but in his own house, where he doubtless feels himself freer than in the strange New York circles, he had thrown this off, and appeared easy if not graceful8.
“He is, as you know, a tall, lank9 man, with a long neck, and his ordinary movements are unusually angular, even out West. As soon, however, as he gets interested in conversation, his face lights up, and his attitudes and gestures assume a certain dignity and impressiveness. His conversation is fluent, agreeable, and polite. You see at once from it that he is a man of decided10 and original character. His views are all his own; such as he has worked out from a patient and varied{193} scrutiny11 of life, and not such as he has learned from others. Yet he can not be called opinionated. He listens to others like one eager to learn, and his replies evince at the same time both modesty12 and self-reliance. I should say that sound common-sense was the principal quality of his mind, although at times a striking phrase or word reveals a peculiar13 vein14 of thought. He tells a story well, with a strong idiomatic15 smack16, and seems to relish17 humor, both in himself and others. Our conversation was mainly political, but of a general nature. One thing Mr. Lincoln remarked which I will venture to repeat. He said that in the coming Presidential canvass18 he was wholly uncommitted to any cabals19 or cliques20, and that he meant to keep himself free from them, and from all pledges and promises.
“I had the pleasure also of a brief interview with Mrs. Lincoln, and, in the circumstances of these persons, I trust I am not trespassing21 on the sanctities of private life, in saying a word in regard to that lady. Whatever of awkwardness may be ascribed to her husband, there is none of it in her. On the contrary, she is quite a pattern of ladylike courtesy and polish. She converses{194} with freedom and grace, and is thoroughly22 au fait in all the little amenities23 of society. Mrs. Lincoln belongs, by the mother’s side, to the Preston family of Kentucky; has received a liberal and refined education, and, should she ever reach it, will adorn24 the White House. She is, I am told, a strict and consistent member of the Presbyterian church.
“Not a man of us who saw Mr. Lincoln but was impressed by his ability and character. In illustration of the last, let me mention one or two things which your readers, I think, will be pleased to hear. Mr. Lincoln’s early life, as you know, was passed in the roughest kind of experience on the frontier, and among the roughest sort of people. Yet, I have been told, that, in the face of all these influences, he is a strictly25 temperate26 man, never using wine or strong drink, and, stranger still, he does not ‘twist the filthy27 weed,’ nor smoke, nor use profane28 language of any kind. When we consider how common these vices3 are all over our country, particularly in the West, it must be admitted that it exhibits no little strength of character to have refrained from them.
“Mr. Lincoln is popular with his friends and{195} neighbors; the habitual29 equity30 of his mind points him out as a peace-maker and composer of difficulties; his integrity is proverbial; and his legal abilities are regarded as of the highest order. The sobriquet31 of ‘Honest Old Abe’ has been won by years of upright conduct, and is the popular homage32 to his probity33. He carries the marks of honesty in his face and entire deportment.
“I am the more convinced by this personal intercourse34 with Mr. Lincoln, that the action of our Convention was altogether judicious35 and proper.”
I call the attention of my readers to what is said of Mr. Lincoln’s freedom from bad habits of every kind, though brought up as he had been, and with the surroundings of his early life, it would have been natural for him to fall into them.
During Mr. Lincoln’s visit to New York, he visited the Five Points House of Industry. This was probably at the time of his first visit, already referred to, when he made an address at the Cooper Institute. One who was at that time a teacher in the House of Industry, gives this account of the visit:
“Our Sunday-school in the Five Points was assembled one Sabbath morning, a few months{196} since, when I noticed a tall and remarkable-looking man enter the room and take a seat among us. He listened with fixed36 attention to our exercises, and his countenance37 manifested such genuine interest that I approached him and suggested that he might be willing to say something to the children.
“He accepted the invitation with evident pleasure, and, coming forward, began a simple address, which at once fascinated every little hearer, and hushed the room into silence. His language was strikingly beautiful, and his tones musical with intensest feeling. The little faces around would droop38 into sad conviction as he uttered sentences of warning, and would brighten into sunshine as he spoke39 cheerful words of promise. Once or twice he attempted to close his remarks, but the imperative40 shouts of ‘Go on!’ ‘Oh, do go on!’ would compel him to resume. As I looked upon the gaunt and sinewy41 frame of the stranger, and marked his powerful head and determined42 features, now touched into softness by the impressions of the moment, I felt an irrepressible curiosity to learn something more about him, and when he was quietly leaving the room,{197} I begged to know his name. He courteously43 replied:
“ ‘It is Abraham Lincoln, from Illinois!’ ”
It is easy to understand how the sight of these poor children should have touched the heart of the backwoods boy. Doubtless they recalled to his memory his own neglected childhood, and his early privations, when he was not in a position to learn even as well as these poor waifs from the city streets. If only that speech could have been reported, with what interest would we read it to-day. It must have been instinct with sympathy to have made such a powerful impression on these poor children and the teacher who tells the story.
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1
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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2
transcribe
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| v.抄写，誉写；改编(乐曲)；复制，转录 | |
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3
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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4
pretentious
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| adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的 | |
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5
parlors
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| 客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店 | |
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6
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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7
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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8
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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9
lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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10
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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11
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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12
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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13
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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14
vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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15
idiomatic
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| adj.成语的，符合语言习惯的 | |
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16
smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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17
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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18
canvass
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| v.招徕顾客，兜售；游说；详细检查，讨论 | |
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19
cabals
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| n.（政治）阴谋小集团，（尤指政治上的）阴谋( cabal的名词复数 ) | |
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20
cliques
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| n.小集团，小圈子，派系( clique的名词复数 ) | |
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21
trespassing
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| [法]非法入侵 | |
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22
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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23
amenities
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| n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快 | |
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24
adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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25
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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26
temperate
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| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
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27
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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28
profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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29
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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30
equity
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| n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票 | |
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31
sobriquet
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| n.绰号 | |
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32
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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33
probity
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| n.刚直；廉洁，正直 | |
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34
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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35
judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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36
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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37
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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38
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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39
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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40
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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41
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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42
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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43
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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