Page:Six Months at the White House.djvu/350

Rh was he original and strong; not only had he great reason, good understanding; not only did he love the true and good—the eternal right; not only was he tender and kind,—but, in due proportion and in legitimate subordination, had he a glorious combination of them all. Through his perceptions, the suggestiveness of nature, his originality and strength; through his magnificent reason, his understanding, his conscience, his tenderness, and kindness, his heart, rather than love,—he approximated as nearly as most human beings in this imperfect state to an embodiment of the great moral principle, 'Do unto others as ye would they should do unto you.'

"There are two opinions—radically different opinions—expressed about Mr. Lincoln's will, by men of equal and much capacity. One opinion is, that he had no will; and the other is, that he was all will—omnipotently so.  These two opinions are loudly and honestly affirmed.  Mr. Lincoln's mind loved the true, the right, and good, all the great truths and principles in the mind of man.  He loved the true, first; the right, second; and the good, the least.  His mind struggled for truths and his soul for substances.  Neither in his head nor in his soul did he care for forms, methods, ways,—the non-substantial facts or things.  He could not, by his very structure and formation in mind and body, care anything about them.  He did not intensely