Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 40.djvu/151

Rh in General Lee's style, and which we might conclude, a priori, he did not write.

"The Lee family are so entirely persuaded that the letter is spurious, that Mrs. Lee made special request that it should not go into the forthcoming 'Lee Memorial'—saying that she wanted nothing in that volume which is not 'strictly authentic'.

"But the expression, 'Duty is the sublimest word in our language' did occur in a letter (at a different date) from General Lee to his son, and other sentences of this letter were probably used by him at different times.

"The true origin of the letter then, seems to be that some ingenious correspondent took a number of General Lee's letters to his son (found at Arlington) and manufactured this one, which has been so successfully palmed off on the public.

"But although he did not write this, General Lee did write letters as noble in sentiment, and even more felicitous in expression. Indeed, he was a model letter writer.

"We have had the privilege of looking over some loose sheets found after his death, in General Lee's army-satchel, along with his parole and other papers—with which he had evidently amused a leisure hour in camp.

"There were quotations from the Psalms, and from select authors, with comments of his own, and some fine specimens of his chaste, simple style. On one sheet was written, in his well-known, characteristic chirography, the following, which we deem well worthy of a place in the columns of the University Monthly: 'The warmest instincts of every man's soul declare the glory of the soldier's death. It is more appropriate to the Christian than to the Greek to sing:

Glorious his fate and envied his lot. Who for his country fights and for it dies. There is a true glory and a true honor. The glory of duty done; the honor of integrity of principle.'

"And certain in his own pure life he beautifully exemplified this noble sentiment, and has left an example of devotion