Book Description

However interesting and valuable books about Lincoln may be, none of them could compete in value with a book making substantial addition to the sum total of what we had previously possessed of Lincoln's own utterances. It is, therefore, no slight matter that we have now a volume entitled "Uncollected Letters of Abraham Lincoln." There appeared as a part of the observance of the hundredth anniversary of his birth, "The Gettysburg Edition" of Lincoln's complete works, but from different quarters there have come to light a good many letters not then available. It would be a mistake to characterize this new collection as made up of things too trivial for inclusion in the two previous collections of Lincoln's works. A number of these letters are of great historical and political importance, while all of them have biographical value. They begin as early as 1837, and the latest ones were written within a few days before his assassination. Altogether in this collection there are several hundred letters, some of which have had scattered or fugitive publicity, while others have never before been printed. All the sidelights that these letters throw upon Lincoln's mind, character, and personality must wholly confirm us in our great admiration of this foremost American. He was thoroughly human, but in everything sincere and honorable.