1898.] ESSAYS. Ill 



or, in other words, " born from above." I believe that I shall 

 not be developed from without. 



We have civilization, we have a wonderful development of 

 horticulture, manufactories, science, and political art ; but what 

 are they ? We are the peers, in some respects, of the savages 

 of ages gone by ; and yet when we look at the strength of the 

 ettbrts that we have made in our political aflairs, it has some- 

 times seemed to me, it is the same barbarism refined, for we 

 have as hard a time to fight our fellow-men as the savages did 

 themselves. 



If I had more time. I would like to say something on the war 

 question. While the thought expressed in the lecture was very 

 beautiful, and some of the ideas, yet as far as the ethical part is 

 concerned, I should certainly take some decided exceptions. 



Mr. Knight. 



I was reminded of a story of Mr. Lincoln, which I think has 

 never been published, and yet, undoubtedly, it is true. Some 

 years ago I was on a business trip in New Hampshire. I met 

 an old gentleman at Whitefield. He had been one of the lead- 

 ing men of Whitefield, and one of the active men during the 

 war, and with two or three others from New Hampshire was in 

 Washington looking after the New Hampshire troops. They 

 had finished their business and were ready to start for home 

 when one suggested that they call on Mr. Lincoln, perhaps they 

 could say something to cheer him up in the midst of his care. 

 They went and were met at the door by an orderly, they told 

 him who they were and what they came for. He said, " I will 

 speak to Mr. Lincoln, possibly he will see you." He came 

 right out and said, " Mr. Lincoln will see you now." They 

 were ushered into the presence of President Lincoln. He re- 

 ceived them very cordially as gentlemen from New Hampshire, 

 and invited them to take seats. He said, "A pretty, fine 

 country you have there in New Hampshire, I think. I was out 

 that way some years ago, and the cars stopped and I went to 

 look out the car window. I saw a bumble-bee hanging on a 

 thistle." This was, of course, a pretty keen satire on New 



