picture of the inner Lincoln, and his achievements, must have for a background a shocking caricature of the outer Lincoln. Hence, his dress has been made the subject of most unfortunate misrepresentations of which the foregoing are fair samples.

It is not at all probable that Mr. Lincoln was to any degree carelessly or unbecomingly dressed at the time he made the Cooper Institute speech. He realized fully that it was an occasion of very great importance to his own political preferment. His ambition at that time was to be chosen as VicePresident at the next national election. He was aware that those who were seeking the nomination of Seward as the republican candidate for President were planning to have him selected for the second place. That was the extent of his aspirations while preparing for the Cooper Institute speech, although his friends in Illinois were vigorously conducting a campaign to place his name at the head of the ticket. In either event this engagement to speak in New York City was a golden opportunity if he could measure up to its requirements. So keen was his realization of all this that on Sunday afternoon he broke an engagement to dine at the home of Henry C. Bowen that his thoughts might not be diverted by social amenities from the address he had to deliver the next evening. He was oppressed by his realization of the requirements of the opportunity to address such an audience, and that he might appear to good advantage he was clad in an expensive new suit made expressly for that occasion. He was not without experience, being just past fifty-one years of age and having been prominently before the public for many years. It is, therefore, not in the least probable that there was any lack of comeliness in his attire apart from the unavoidable difficulty of fitting an outer garment to a form of such unusual measurements. That his garments did not fit as closely as did those upon the rotund figures of Bryant and Field is possible, but that they were less becoming than others is not probable.

Fortunately, however, we are not left to probability respecting his appearance upon that platform. During the after

noon of that 27th of February, 1860, Mr. Lincoln, clad in the suit he wore while delivering the Cooper Institute address stood before the camera for a full length photograph by Brady. The attention of the reader is most earnestly invited to that picture with its dignified, impressive pose, compact, sinewy neck, gracefully curved collar and well-fitting, becoming coat and vest, silently protesting against all representations of Lincoln's attire upon that occasion as lacking in any particular.

This one picture of Lincoln as he appeared on the day of that address should be sufficient to silence, forever, all claims that he was careless in his attire. The picture being a photograph taken from life cannot be untruthful and bears witness to the scrupulous care with which Mr. Lincoln prepared for his appearance before the public. But it would perhaps be well for the reader to consult other Lincoln photographs and note the uniform fit of coat and vest to the neck and chest, and the graceful folds and lines of every garment worn. Each one will be found to confirm the statement of Dr. F. Fuller that "a peculiar air of neatness and refinement so difficult to describe, yet so attractive, always pervaded him."12

The following in the Nicolay Century Magazine article has peculiar weight in this connection: "There were many flippant and ill-natured remarks concerning Mr. Lincoln's dress, giving people the idea that he was either very rude by nature, or given to hopeless eccentricities. Nothing could be more untrue. He suffered no wise in comparison as to personal appearance with Douglas, the senator, or Bryant, the poet, or Edward Everett, the polished statesman, diplomat and orator.

"In the fifteen hundred days during which he occupied the White House, receiving daily visits at almost all hours, often from seven in the morning to midnight, from all classes and conditions of American citizens, as well as from many distinguished foreigners, there was never any eccentric or habitual incongruity of his garb with his station. The world has yet to learn that General Scott, or Lord Lyons, or Bishop 12 Lincoln Scrap-book, p. 3.

LINCOLN AT COOPER INSTITUTE

From a photograph by Brady, New York, February 29, 1860, showing
Lincoln's attire when he delivered his Cooper Institute address.
By courtesy of Mr. F. H. Meserve, New York City

Simpson, or Prince Napoleon, or Archbishop Hughes, or the Comte de Paris, or Chief Justice Taney ever felt humiliated by the dress or want of dignity of President Lincoln in state ceremonial or private audience."13

Mr. Lincoln was as refined and courteous in bearing as he was gentle and kind in disposition. His great wealth of affection and sympathy found constant expression in tones of tenderness and words well chosen and fitting. He was as refined as Chesterfield and as self-forgetful as Sir Philip Sydney. His manners were in keeping with his motives and he could not be rude or severe in word or act. In all of his struggles with Douglas he was the high-toned gentleman of whom the most cultivated were rightfully proud. However severe the provocations, and they were sometimes intolerable, he was not once exasperated so as to speak unadvisedly or act in an unbecoming manner. In his severe trials as President he always manifested that considerate regard for others which was so becoming to the exalted station he occupied. His closest private secretary, who saw much more of him during that period than did any other person, states that "he always listened with patience even when the request of his petitioner might be frivolous or foolish. He gave others courtesy, kindness and consideration to the last degree."

During all those trying years he never spoke a harsh or impatient word to any one of his secretaries or to others in their presence as they voluntarily testify. And of the many who were officially and otherwise associated with him no one has made record of a word or act of President Lincoln lacking in any of the qualities which should characterize the deportment "of a natural gentleman," as Bartlett designates him.

But on the other hand, as stated by the same writer, "He had perfect naturalness and native grace which never failed to shine through his words and acts. He always maintained a signal reserve without the least effort. He appeared and acted with an elegance that a king might envy and common men 13 Vol. 20, pp. 934-937.