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exalt and clarify the minds of men； giving to the mere words
*country； human rights； democracy；* a meaning and a force beyond
that of sober and logical argument。 They were convictions；
maintained and defended by the supreme logic of passion。 That
penetrating fire ran in and roused those primary instincts that make
their lair in the dens and caverns of the mind。 What is called the
great popular heart was awakened； that indefinable something
which may be； according to circumstances； the highest reason or
the most brutish unreason。 But enthusiasm； once cold； can never be
warmed over into anything better than cant；and phrases； when
once the inspiration that filled them with beneficent power has
ebbed away； retain only that semblance of meaning which enables
them to supplant reason in hasty minds。 Among the lessons taught
by the French Revolution there is none sadder or more striking than
this； that you may make everything else out of the passions of men
except a political system that will work； and that there is nothing so
pitilessly and unconsciously cruel as sincerity formulated into
dogma。 It is always demoralizing to extend the domain of sentiment
over questions where it has no legitimate jurisdiction； and perhaps
the severest strain upon Mr。 Lincoln was in resisting a tendency of
his own supporters which chimed with his own private desires；
while wholly opposed to his convictions of what would be wise
policy。
The change which three years have brought about is too remarkable
to be passed over without comment； too weighty in its lesson not to
be laid to heart。 Never did a President enter upon office with less
means at his command； outside his own strength of heart and
steadiness of understanding； for inspiring confidence in the people；
and so winning it for himself； than Mr。 Lincoln。 All that was known
of him was that he was a good stump…speaker； nominated for his
*availability；*that is； because he had no history；and chosen by a
party with whose more extreme opinions he was not in sympathy。
It might well be feared that a man past fifty； against whom the
ingenuity of hostile partisans could rake up no accusation； must be
lacking in manliness of character； in decision of principle； in
strength of will； that a man who was at best only the representative
of a party； and who yet did not fairly represent even that； would fail
of political； much more of popular； support。 And certainly no one
ever entered upon office with so few resources of power in the
past； and so many materials of weakness in the present； as Mr。
Lincoln。 Even in that half of the Union which acknowledged him as
President； there was a large； and at that time dangerous； minority；
that hardly admitted his claim to the office； and even in the party
that elected him there was also a large minority that suspected him
of being secretly a communicant with the church of Laodicea。（1）
All he did was sure to be virulently attacked as ultra by one side； all
that he left undone； to be stigmatized as proof of lukewarmness and
backsliding by the other。 Meanwhile he was to carry on a truly
colossal war by means of both； he was to disengage the country
from diplomatic entanglements of unprecedented peril undisturbed
by the help or the hindrance of either； and to win from the crowning
dangers of his administration； in the confidence of the people； the
means of his safety and their own。 He has contrived to do it； and
perhaps none of our Presidents since Washington has stood so firm
in the confidence of the people as he does after three years of
stormy administration。
（1） See *Revelation；* chapter 3； verse 15。
Mr。 Lincoln's policy was a tentative one； and rightly so。 He laid
down no programme which must compel him to be either
inconsistent or unwise； no cast…iron theorem to which
circumstances must be fitted as they rose； or else be useless to his
ends。 He seemed to have chosen Mazarin's motto； *Le temps et
moi。*（1） The *moi；* to be sure； was not very prominent at first；
but it has grown more and more so； till the world is beginning to be
persuaded that it stands for a character of marked individuality and
capacity for affairs。 Time was his prime…minister； and； we began to
think； at one period； his general…in…chief also。 At first he was so
slow that he tired out all those who see no evidence of progress but
in blowing up the engine； then he was so fast； that he took the
breath away from those who think there is no getting on safety
while there is a spark of fire under the boilers。 God is the only
being who has time enough； but a prudent man； who knows how to
seize occasion； can commonly make a shift to find as much as he
needs。 Mr。 Lincoln； as it seems to us in reviewing his career；
though we have sometimes in our impatience thought otherwise；
has always waited； as a wise man should； till the right moment
brought up all his reserves。 *Semper nocuit differre paratis；*（2） is
a sound axiom； but the really efficacious man will also be sure to
know when he is *not* ready； and be firm against all persuasion
and reproach till he is。
（1） Time and I。 Cardinal Mazarin was prime…minister of Louis
XIV。 of France。 Time； Mazarin said； was his prime…minister。
（2） It is always bad for those who are ready to put off action。
One would be apt to think； from some of the criticisms made on
Mr。 Lincoln's course by those who mainly agree with him in
principle； that the chief object of a statesman should be rather to
proclaim his adhesion to certain doctrines； than to achieve their
triumph by quietly accomplishing his ends。 In our opinion； there is
no more unsafe politician than a conscientiously rigid *doctrinaire；*
nothing more sure to end in disaster than a theoretic scheme of
policy that admits of no pliability for contingencies。 True； there is a
popular image of an impossible He； in whose plastic hands the
submissive destinies of mankind become as wax； and to whose
commanding necessity the toughest facts yield with the graceful
pliancy of fiction； but in real life we commonly find that the men
who control circumstances； as it is called； are those who have
learned to allow for the influence of their eddies； and have the nerve
to turn them to account at the happy instant。 Mr。 Lincoln's perilous
task has been to carry a rather shaky raft through the rapids；
making fast the unrulier logs as he could snatch opportunity； and
the country is to be congratulated that he did not think it his duty to
run straight at all hazards； but cautiously to assure himself with his
setting…pole where the main current was； and keep steadily to that。
He is still in wild water； but we have faith that his skill and sureness
of eye will bring him out right at last。
A curious； and； as we think； not inapt parallel； might be drawn
between Mr。 Lincoln and one of the most striking figures in modern
history；Henry IV。 of France。 The career of the latter may be more
pict