IamverygratefultoMr。WilliamRoscoeThayerforenablingmetousethemanuscriptdiaryofJohnHay。MissHelenNicolayhasgraciouslyconfirmedsomeoftheimplicationsoftheofficialbiography。Lincoln’sonlysurvivingsecretary，ColonelW。O。Stoddard，hasgivenconsiderateaid。ThecuriousincidentofLincolnascounselinanactiontorecoverslaveswasmentionedtomebyProfessorHenryJohnson，throughwhosegoodofficesitwasconfirmedandamplifiedbyJudgeJohnH。Marshall。Mr。HenryW。Raymondhasbeenverytolerantofastranger’sinquirieswithregardtohisdistinguishedfather。
　　AfutileattempttodiscoverdocumentaryremainsoftheRepublicanNationalCommitteeof1864hasmadeitpossible，throughthecourtesyofMr。ClarenceB。Miller，atleasttoassertthatthereisnothingofimportanceinpossessionofthepresentCommittee。AsearchfornewlightonChandlerdrewforthgenerousassistancefromProfessorUlrichB。Phillips，Mr。FloydB。StreeterandMr。G。B。Krum。Thelattercausedtobeexamined，forthisparticularpurpose，theBlairmanuscriptsintheBurtonHistoricalCollection。MuchilluminationaroseoutofasystematicresurveyoftheCongressionalGlobe，forthewarperiod，inwhichIhadthestimulatingcompanionshipofProfessorJohnL。Hill，reinforcedbymanyconversationswithProfessorDixonRyanFoxandProfessorDavidSavilleMuzzey。AttheheartofthematteristheresolutecriticismofMrs。Stephensonandofalongenduringfriend，PresidentHarrisonRandolph。Thetemperofthehistoricalfraternityissuchthatanyworkerinanyfieldisalwaysunderahostofincidentalobligations。ThereisespecialproprietyinmyacknowledgingthekindnessofProfessorAlbertBushnellHart，ProfessorJamesA。Woodburn，ProfessorHermanV。Ames，ProfessorSt。GeorgeL。SioussatandProfessorAllenJohnson。
　　TheauthorandpublishermakegratefulacknowledgementtoGinnandCompany，Boston，forthephotographofSt。Gaudens’Statue；
　　toTheCenturyCompanyofNewYorkfortheEarliestPortraitofLincoln，whichisfromanengravingbyJohnsonafteradaguerreotypeinthepossessionoftheHonorableRobertT。
　　Lincoln；andforLincolnandTad，whichisfromthefamousphotographbyBrady；toTheMacmillanCompanyofNewYorkfortheportraitofMrs。LincolnandalsoforTheReviewoftheArmyofthePotomac，bothofwhichwereoriginallyreproducedinIdaM。Tarbell’sLifeofAbrahamLincoln。FortherareandinterestingportraitentitledTheLastPhaseofLincolnacknowledgmentismadetoRobertBruce，Esquire，Clinton，OneidaCounty，NewYork。ThisphotographwastakenbyAlexanderGardner，April9，1865，theglassplateofwhichisnowinMr。Bruce’scollection。
　　OffirstimportanceinthemakingoftheAmericanpeopleisthatgreatforestwhichonceextendeditsmysteriouslabyrinthfromtide-watertotheprairieswhentheearliestcolonistsenteredwarilyitssea-wornedgesaportionoftheEuropeanracecameagainunderaspellithadforgottencenturiesbefore，thespellofthatuntamednaturewhichcreatedprimitiveman。Allthedimmemoriesthatlaydeepinsubconsciousness；allthevagueshadowshoveringatthebackofthecivilizedmind；thesenseofencompassingnaturalpower，theneedtostrugglesingle-handedagainstit；thedangerlurkinginthedarknessoftheforest；thebrillianttreacheryoftheforestsunshineglintedthroughleafysecrecies；theStrangevoicesinitsillimitablemurmur；theghostlyshimmerofitsgladesatnight；thelovelybeautyofthegreatgoldmoon；allthethousandwonderingdreamsthatevolvedtheeldergods，Pan，Cybele，Thor；allthiswakedagaininthesouloftheAnglo-Saxonpenetratingthegreatforest。Anditwasintensifiedbythewayhecame，——singly，orwithbutwifeandchild，oratbestinverysmallcompany，amerehandful。Andthesurroundingpresenceswerenotonlyofthespiritualworld。
　　Humanenemieswhoweresoonaswellarmedashe，quickeroffootandeye，moreperfectlynoiselessintheirtreadeventhanthewildbeastsoftheshadowycoverts，theruthlessIndianswhomhecametoexpel，theseinvisiblepresenceswerewatchinghim，inafiercesilenceheknewnotwhence。LikeasnotthefirstsignsofthatmenacewhichwaseverywherewouldbethehissoftheIndianarrow，orthecrackoftheIndianrifle，andsharpandsuddendeath。
　　Undertheseconditionshelearnedmuchandforgotmuch。Hisdeadlyneedmadehimbothmoreandlessindividualthanhehadbeen，releasedhimfromthedictationofhisfellowsindailylifewhileitenforcedrelentlesslyauniformmethodofself-preservation。Thoughtheunseenworldbecamemoreandmorereal，theunderstandingofitfaded。Itbecamechieflyamatterofemotionalperception，scarcelyatallamatterofphilosophy。ThemoralsoftheforestAmericanswerethoseofaudacious，visionarybeingslooselyhoundtogetherbyacomradeshipinperil。Courage，cautiousness，swiftness，endurance，faithfulness，secrecy，——theseweretheforestvirtues。Dreaming，companionship，humor，——theseweretheforestluxuries。
　　Fromthefirst，allsortsandconditionswereensnaredbythatsilentland，wherethetrailstheyfollowed，theirriflesintheirhands，hadbeentroddenhardgenerationaftergenerationbythefeetoftheIndianwarriors。ThebestandtheworstofEnglandwentintothatillimitableresolvent，lostthemselves，foundthemselves，andissuedfromitsshadows，ortheirchildrendid，changedbothforgoodandill，Americans。
　　Meanwhilethegreatforest，duringtwohundredyears，wasslowlyvanishing。Thisparentofanewpeoplegaveitslifetoitsoffspringandpassedaway。Intheearlynineteenthcenturyithadwitheredbackwardfarfromthecoast；hadlostitsidentityallalongthenorthendoftheeasternmountains；hadfrayedouttowardthesunsetintolingeringtentacles，intobrokenminorforests，intoshredsandpatches。
　　Curiously，byaqueersortofnaturalselection，itspeoplehadcongregatedintolifecommunitiesnotallofonepattern。
　　Therewereplacesasearlyasthebeginningofthecenturywheredistinctionhadappeared。Atotherplaceslifewasasrudeandroughascouldbeimagined。Therewereinnumerablefarmsthatwerestillmere“clearings，“walledbytheforest。
　　Buttherewereotherregionswhereformanyamilethetimberhadbeenhewnaway，hadgivenplacetoaraggedcontinuityoffarmland。Insuchregionsespeciallyifthepoorerelementsoftheforest，spirituallyspeaking，haddriftedthither——thestragglingvillageswhichhadappearedwerebutgroupsoflogcabinshuddledalongafewneglectedlanes。IncentralKentucky，apoornewvillagewasElizabethtown，unkempt，chokinglydustyinthedryweather，withmuddystreamsinsteadofstreetsduringtherains，astenchofpig-stiesatthebackofitscabins，buteverywherelookingoutwardglimpsesofalovelymeadowland。
　　AtElizabethtownin1806livedJosephHanks，acarpenter，alsohisnieceNancyHanks。Poorpeopletheywere，ofthesortthathadbeensuckedintotheforestintheirweakness，orhadbeenpushedintoitbyasocialpressuretheycouldnotresist；notthesortthathadgrimlyadventureditsperilsorgailycourteditslure。TheirsourcewasVirginia。Theywereofathriftless，unstableclass；thatvagrantpeasantrywhichhaddriftedwestwardtoavoidcompetitionwithslavelabor。Theniece，Nancy，hasbeenreputedillegitimate。Andthoughtraditionderivesherfromthepredatoryamourofanaristocrat，thereisnothingtosustainthetaleexceptherownappearance。Shehadabearing，acastoffeature，atone，thatseemedtohintathighersocialoriginsthanthoseofherHanksrelatives。Shehadalittleschooling；wasofapiousandemotionalturnofmind；enjoyedthoseamazing“revivals“whichnowandthengaveanoutlettothepent-upreligiosityofthevillage；andshewasalmosthandsome。[1]
　　Historyhaspreservednocluewhythisgirlwhowasratherthebestofhersortchosetomarryanilliterateapprenticeofheruncle’s，ThomasLincoln，whosenameintheforestwasspelled“Linkhorn。“Hewasashiftlessfellow，neversucceedingatanything，whocouldneitherreadnorwrite。Atthetimeofhisbirth，twenty-eightyearsbefore，hisparents——drifting，roamingpeople，strugglingwithpoverty——weredwellersintheVirginiamountains。Asamerelad，hehadshotanIndian——oneofthefewpositiveactsattributedtohim——andhisfatherhadbeenkilledbyIndians。Therewasa“vaguetradition“thathisgrandfatherhadbeenaPennsylvaniaQuakerwhohadwanderedsouthwardthroughtheforestmountains。Thetraditionangeredhim。
　　Thoughheappearstohavehadlittleenough——atleastinlateryears——ofthefierceindependenceoftheforest，heresentedaQuakerancestryasaninsult。HehadnosuspicionthatinafteryearsthezealofgenealogistswouldtrackhisdescentuntiltheyhadlinkedhimwithalostmemberofadistinguishedPuritanfamily，acertainMordecaiLincolnwhoremovedtoNewJersey，whosedescendantsbecamewanderersoftheforestandsankspeedilytothebottomofthesocialscale，retainingnottheslightestmemoryoftheirNewEnglandorigin。[2]Evenintheworstoftheforestvillages，fewcouplesstartedmarriedlifeinlessauspiciouscircumstancesthandidNancyandThomas。
　　TheirhomeinoneofthealleysofElizabethtownwasashantyfourteenfeetsquare。[3]Verysoonaftermarriage，shiftlessThomasgaveupcarpenteringandtooktofarming。Landcouldbehadalmostanywhereforalmostnothingthosedays，andThomasgotafarmoncreditnearwherenowstandsHodgenville。Today，itisafamousplace，forthere，February12，1809，AbrahamLincoln，secondchild，butfirstsonofNancyandThomas，wasborn。[4]
　　Duringmostofeightyears，AbrahamlivedinKentucky。Hisfather，alwaysadriftinheart，triedtwofarmsbeforeabandoningKentuckyaltogether。Ashadowyfigure，thisThomas；
　　thefewmemoriesofhimsuggestasuperstitiousnatureinasuperstitiouscommunity。Heusedtoseevisionsintheforest。
　　Once，itissaid，hecamehome，allexcitement，totellhiswifehehadseenagiantridingonalion，tearinguptreesbytheroots；andthereupon，hetooktohisbedandkeptitforseveraldays。
　　HissonAbrahamtoldthisstoryofthegiantontheliontoaplaymateofhis，andthetwoboysgravelydiscussedtheexistenceofghosts。Abrahamthoughthisfather“didn’texactlybelieveinthem，“andseemstohavebeeninaboutthesamestateofmindhimself。Hewasquitesurehewas“notmuch“afraidofthedark。Thiswasduechieflytothesimplewisdomofagoodwoman，aneighbor，whohadtaughthimtothinkofthenightasagreatroomthatGodhaddarkenedevenashisfrienddarkenedaroominherhousebyhangingsomethingoverthewindow。[5]
　　TheeightyearsofhischildhoodinKentuckyhadfewincidents。
　　Ahard，patient，uncomplaininglifebothforoldandyoung。
　　Themenfoundtheironedeepjoyinthehunt。Inlesserdegree，theyenjoyedtherevivalswhichgavetothewomentheironeescapeoutofthemselves。Astrange，almostterriblerecoveryoftheprimitive，werethosereligiousfuriesofthedaysbeforethegreatforesthaddisappeared。Whatotherfiguresinourhistoryarequitesoremarkableastheitinerantfrontierpriests，thecircuit-ridersastheyarenowcalled，wholivedasElijahdid，whosetemperwasverymuchthetemperofElijah，inwhoseexaltednarrownessofdevotion，allthatwasstern，dark，foreboding——theverybroodoftheforest’sinnermostheart——hadfoundavoice。Theirreligionwasecstasyinhomespun，agloryofviolentsinging，thereleaseofafranticemotion，formlessbutimmeasurable，whichatallothertimes，intheseverityoftheforestroutine，gavenosignofitsexistence。
　　AvisitorrememberedlongafterwardahandsomeyoungwomanwhohethoughtwasNancyHanks，singingwildly，whirlingaboutasmayoncehavedonetheecstaticwomenofthewoodsofThrace，makingherwayamongequallypassionateworshipers，tothefootoftherudealtar，andtherecastingherselfintothearmsofthemanshewastomarry。[6]Sodidthousandsofforestwomeninthoseseasonswhentheircommunionwithamysticlonelinesswasconfessed，whentheygavetongueassimplyaswildcreaturestothenamelessstirringsandpromptingsofthatsecretwoodlandwherePanwasstillthelord。Andthedayfollowingtherevival，theywereagainthesilent，expressionless，muchenduring，long-sufferingforestwives，mothersofmanychildren，toilersofthecabins，whocookedandsweptandcarriedfuelbysunlight，andbyfirelightsewedandspun。