story-tellingyokel——intellectualonlyastheartistisintellectual，inhismethodsofhandling——tothemanofideas，arewhollylost。Andinthisfactwehaveaprophecyofalltheyearstocome。AlwaysweshallseekinvainfortheearlystagesofLincoln’sideas。
　　Hismindwillneverrevealitselfuntilthemomentatwhichitengagestheworld。Nowonder，inlatertimes，hiscloseassociatespronouncedhimthemostsecretiveofmen；thatoneofthekeenestofhisobserverssaidthatthemoreyouknewofLincoln，thelessyouknewofhim。[5]
　　Exceptforthehandicapofhissurroundings，hisintellectualstartwouldseembelated；evenallowingforhishandicap，itwascertainlyslow。Hewasnowtwenty-eight。Prettywellontorevealforthefirsttimeintellectualpower!Anothercharacteristichere。Hismindworkedslowly。Butitisworthobservingthattheideasoftheprotestwereneverabandoned。
　　Stillathirdcharacteristic，mentaltenacity。Totheendofhisdays，helookedaskanceatthetemperofabolitionism，regardediteverasoneofthechiefevilsofpoliticalscience。Andquiteassignificantwasanotherideaoftheprotestwhichalsohaddevelopedfromwithin，whichalsoheneverabandoned。
　　Onthequestionofthepowerofthenationalgovernmentwithregardtoslavery，hetookapositionnotinaccordwitheitherofthepoliticalcreedsofhisday。TheDemocratshadalreadyformulatedtheirdoctrinethatthenationalgovernmentwasathingofextremelylimitedpowers，the“glorifiedpoliceman“ofacertainschoolofpublicistsreducedalmosttoaminusquantity。TheWhigs，thoughamiablyvagueonmostthingsexceptmoney-makingbystateaid，weresupposedtostandfora“strongcentralgovernment。Abolitionismhadforcedonbothpartiesatroublesomequestion，“WhataboutslaveryintheDistrictofColumbia，wherethenationalgovernmentwassupreme？“TheDemocratswerepromptintheirreply：Lettheglorifiedpolicemankeepthepeaceandleaveprivateinterests，suchasslave-holding，alone。TheWhigsevaded，triednottoapplytheirtheoryof“strong“government；theywerefearfullesttheyoffendonepartoftheirmembershipiftheyassertedthatthenationhadnorighttoabolishslaveryintheDistrict，fearfulofoffendingothersiftheydidnot。
　　Lincoln’sprotestassertedthat“theCongressoftheUnitedStateshasthepower，undertheConstitution，toabolishslaveryintheDistrictofColumbiabutthepoweroughtnottobeexercised，unlessattherequestoftheDistrict。“Inotherwords，Lincoln，whensuddenlyoutofthestormandstressthatfollowedAnn’sdeathhismentalityflashesforth，hasanattitudetowardpoliticalpowerthatwasnotaconsequenceofhisenvironment，thatsetshimapartasatypeofmanrareinthehistoryofstatesmanship。WhatotherAmericanpoliticianofhisday——indeed，veryfewpoliticiansofanyday——wouldhavedaredtoassertatoncetheexistenceofapowerandthemoralobligationnottouseit？TheinstinctiveAmericanmodeoflimitingpoweristodenyitsexistence。Ourpoliticianssodeeplydistrustourtemperamentthatwhatevertheymaysayforrhetoricaleffect，theywillnot，wheneverthereisanydangeroftheirbeingtakenattheirword，trustanythingtomorallaw。Theirmindsarenormallymechanical。Thespecific，statutorylimitationistheonlyonethatforthemhasreality。
　　Thetruththattemperinpoliticsisasgreatafactoraslawwasnomorecomprehensibletothepoliticiansof1837than，sayHamletorTheLastJudgment。ButjustthisiswhatthecrudeyoungLincolnunderstood。Somehowhehadfounditinthedepthsofhisownnature。Theexplanation，ifany，istobefoundinhisheredity。Outoftheshadowypartsofhim，beyondthelimitsofhisoranyman’sconsciousvision，dim，unexplored，butrealandinsistentasthoseforestrecessesfromwhichhispeoplecame，arisethetwoideas：thefaithinamightygoverningpower；theequalfaiththatitshoulduseitsmightwithinfinitetenderness，thatitshouldbeslowtocompelresults，eventheresultofrighteousness，thatitshouldbetolerantofhumanerrors，thatitshouldtransformthemslowly，gradually，asdothegradualforcesofnature，asdothesunandtherain。
　　AndsuchwastobetherealLincolnwheneverhespokeout，totheend。Histonicwasstruckbyhisfirstsignificantutteranceattheageoftwenty-eight。Howinevitablethatitshouldhavenosignificancetothecongregationofgoodfellowswhothoughtofhimmerelyasoneoftheirownsort，whoputupwiththeirfriend’svagary，andspeedilyforgotit。
　　ThemomentwasadrearyoneinLincoln’sfortunes。Bydintofmuchreadingofborrowedbooks，hehadsucceededinobtainingfromtheeasy-goingpowersthatwereinthosedays，alicensetopractiselaw。Inthespringof1837heremovedtoSpringfield。Hehadscarcelyadollarinhispocket。RidingintoSpringfieldonaborrowedhorse，withallthepropertyheowned，includinghislawbooks，intwosaddlebags，hewenttotheonlycabinet-makerinthetownandorderedasinglebedstead。HethenwenttothestoreofJoshuaF。Speed。Themeeting，animmenselyeventfuloneforLincoln，aswellasaclassicinthehistoryofgeniusinpoverty，isbesttoldinSpeed’swords：“Hecameintomystore，sethissaddle-bagsonthecounterandinquiredwhatthefurnishingsforasinglebedsteadwouldcost。Itookslateandpencil，madeacalculationandfoundthesumforfurnishingscomplete，wouldamounttoseventeendollarsinall。Saidhe：’Itisprobablycheapenough，butIwanttosaythat，cheapasitis，Ihavenotthemoneytopay；butifyouwillcreditmeuntilChristmas，andmyexperimenthereasalawyerisasuccess，I
　　willpayyouthen。IfIfailinthatIwillprobablyneverpayyouatall。’ThetoneofhisvoicewassomelancholythatI
　　feltforhim。IlookedupathimandIthoughtthenasIthinknowthatIneversawsogloomyandmelancholyafaceinmylife。Isaidtohim：’Sosmalladebtseemstoaffectyousodeeply，IthinkIcansuggestaplanbywhichyouwillbeabletoattainyourendwithoutincurringanydebt。Ihaveaverylargeroomandaverylargedoublebedinit，whichyouareperfectlywelcometosharewithmeifyouchoose。’’Whereisyourroom？’heasked。’Up-stairs，’saidI，pointingtothestairsleadingfromthestoretomyroom。Withoutsayingaword，hetookhissaddle-bagsonhisarm，wentupstairs，setthemdownonthefloor，camedownagain，andwithafacebeamingwithpleasureandsmilesexclaimed，’Well，Speed，I’mmoved。’“[6]
　　ThiswasthebeginningofafriendshipwhichappearstohavebeentheonlyoneofitskindLincolneverhad。Lateinlife，withhisgiftedprivatesecretaries，withoneortwobrilliantmenwhomhedidnotmeetuntilmiddleage，hehadsomethinglikeintimatecomradeship。Buteventheydidnotbreaktheprevailingsolitudeofhisinnerlife。Hisaloofnessofsoulbecameafixedcondition。TheoneintruderinthatlonelyinnerworldwasSpeed。InthegreatcollectionofLincoln’slettersnonehavetheintimatenoteexcepttheletterstoSpeed。Andeventhesearenottrulyintimatewiththeexceptionofasinglegroupinspiredallbythesametrainofevents。Thedeep，instinctivereserveofLincoln’snaturewasincurable。Theexceptionalgroupoflettersinvolvehisfinallove-affair。FouryearsafterhisremovaltoSpringfield，LincolnbecameengagedtoMissMaryTodd。Bythattimehehadgotastartatthelawandwasnolongeringrindingpoverty。
　　Ifnotyetprosperous，hehadacquired“prospects“——thestronglikelihoodofbetterthingstocomesodeartothebuoyantheartoftheearlyWest。
　　HospitableSpringfield，someofwhosebestmenhadknownhimintheLegislature，openeditsdoorstohim。Hishumbleorigin，hispoorcondition，wereforgiven。IntrueWesternfashion，hewasfranklyputontrialtoshowwhatwasinhim。Ifhecould“makegood“nofurtherquestionswouldbeasked。Andinevery-daymatters，hiscompanionablenessrosetotheoccasion。
　　MaleSpringfieldwascaptivatedalmostaseasilyasNewSalem。
　　Butallthiswasoftheouterlife。Ifthefermentwithinwasconstantbetween1835and1840，thefactislostinhistaciturnity。Butthereissomeevidenceofarestlessemotionallife。
　　InthereboundafterthewoefollowingAnn’sdeath，hehadgonequestingafterhappiness——sucharealthingtohim，nowthathehaddiscoveredtheterrorofunhappiness——inafoolishhalf-heartedcourtshipofabouncing，sensiblegirlnamedMaryOwens，whosawthathewasnotreallyinearnest，decidedthathewasdeficientinthose“littlelinksthatmakeupawoman’shappiness，“andsenthimabouthisbusiness——rather，onthewhole，tohisrelief。[7]TheaffairwithMissToddhadadifferenttonefromtheother。Theladywasofanotherworldsocially。TheWestinthosedaysswarmedwithyoungersons，ortheequivalentsofyoungersons，seekingtheirfortunes，whomsistersandcousinswerefrequentlyvisiting。MaryToddwassister-in-lawtoaleadingcitizenofSpringfield。HeroriginwasofKentuckyandVirginia，withdefiniteclaimstodistinction。Thoughafamilygenealogymountsashighasthesixthcentury，soberhistoryiscontentwithagrandfatherandgreatgrandfatherwhoweremilitarymenofsomerepute，twogreatuncleswhoweregovernors，andanotherwhowasacabinetminister。RatherimposingcontrastedwiththefamilytreeofthechildofThomasLincolnandNancyHanks!Evenmoresignificantwasthelady’seducation。ShehadbeentoaschoolwhereyoungladiesofsimilarsocialpretensionswereallowedtospeakonlytheFrenchlanguage。Shewaskeenlyawareoftherolemarkedoutforherbydestiny，andquiteconvincedthatshewouldalwaysineverywayliveuptoit。
　　ThecourseofheraffairwithLincolndidnotrunsmooth。
　　Therewerewidedifferencesoftemperament；quarrelsofsomesort——justwhat，gossiptothisdayhasbusieditselftryingtodiscover——andonJanuary1，1841，theengagementwasbroken。
　　Beforetheendofthemonthhewrotetohislawpartnerapologizingforhisinabilitytobecoherentonbusinessmatters。“Fornotgivingyouageneralsummaryofnews，youmustpardonme；itisnotinmypowertodoso。Iamnowthemostmiserablemanliving。IfwhatIfeelweredistributedtothewholehumanfamily，therewouldnotbeonecheerfulfaceonearth。WhetherIshalleverbebetter，Icannottell。I
　　awfullyforebodeIshallnot。ToremainasIamisimpossible。
　　Imustdieorbebetter，itappearstome……achangeofscenemighthelpme。“
　　HisfriendSpeedbecamehissalvation。SpeedclosedouthisbusinessandcarriedLincolnofftovisithisownrelationsinKentucky。ItwasthedevotionofBowlinGreenandhiswifeoveragain。Butthepsychologyoftheeventwasmuchmoresingular。Lincoln，intheinnerlife，hadprogressedalongwaysincethedeathofAnn，andtheprogresswasmainlyinthewayofintrospection，ofself-analysis。Hehadbeguntobrood。
　　Asalways，thechangedidnotrevealitselfuntilaneventintheoutwardlifecalleditforthlikearisingghostfromtheabyssofhissilences。Hisfriendshadnosuspicionthatinhisrealself，beneaththethickdisguiseofhisexternalsunniness，hewasforeverbrooding，questioning，analyzing，searchingaftertheheartsofthingsbothwithinandwithout……
　　“Inthewinterof1840and1841，“writesSpeed，“hewasunhappyabouttheengagementtohiswife——notbeingentirelysatisfiedthathisheartwasgoingwithhishand。Howmuchhesufferedthenonthataccount，noneknewsowellasmyself；hedisclosedhiswholehearttome。Inthesummerof1841Ibecameengagedtomywife。HewashereonavisitwhenIcourtedher；andstrangetosay，somethingofthesamefeelingwhichIregardedassofoolishinhimtookpossessionofme，andkeptmeveryunhappyfromthetimeofmyengagementuntilIwasmarried。
　　Thiswillexplainthedeepinteresthemanifestedinhislettersonmyaccount……Onethingisplainlydiscernible；
　　ifIhadnotbeenmarriedandhappy，farmorehappythanIeverexpectedtobe，hewouldnothavemarried。“
　　WhetherornotSpeedwasentirelyrightinhisfinalconclusion，itisplainthatheandLincolnwereremarkablyalikeintemperament；thatwhateverhadcausedthebreakinLincoln’sengagementwasrepeatedinhisfriend’sexperiencewhenthelatterreachedacertaindegreeofemotionaltension；
　　thatthisparallelingofLincoln’sownexperienceintheexperienceofthefriendsolikehimself，broketipforoncethesolitudeofhisinnerlifeanddeliveredhimfromsomedireinwardterror。Bothmenweredeeplyintrospective。Eachhadthatoverpoweringsenseoftheemotionalresponsibilitiesofmarriage，whichisbredintheboneofcertainhyper-sensitivetypes——atleastintheAnglo-Saxonrace。Butneitherrealizedthistraitinhimselfuntil，havingblithelypursuedhisimpulsetothepointofcommittal，hisspiritualconsciencesuddenlyawakenedandheaskedofhisheart，“DoItrulyloveher？AmIperfectlysuretheemotionispermanent？“