Lincoln love letter ~

Posted by Maverick ~ on February 12, 2016
Posted in: Nature, Photography. Tagged: , , , , .

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My dear Mary:

You must know that I cannot see you or think of you with entire indifference; and yet it may be that you are mistaken in regard to what my real feelings toward you are. If I knew that you were not, I should not trouble you with this letter. Perhaps any other man would know enough without further information, but I consider it my peculiar right to plead ignorance and your bounden duty to allow the plea. I want in all cases to do right, and most particularly so in all cases with women. I want at this particular time more than anything else to do right with you, and if I knew it would be doing right, as I rather suspect it would, to let you alone, I would do it. And for the purpose of making the matter as plainly as possible I now say you can drop the subject, dismiss your thoughts–if you ever had any–from me forever, and leave this letter unanswered without calling forth one accusing murmur from me. And I will even go further and say that if it will add anything to your comfort and peace of mind to do so, it is my sincere wish that you should.

Do not understand by this that I wish to cut your acquaintance. I mean no such thing. What I do wish is that our further acquaintance should depend upon yourself. If such further acquaintance would contribute nothing to your happiness, I am sure it would not to mine. If you feel yourself in any degree bound to me, I am now willing to release you, provided you wish it; while, on the other hand, I am willing and even anxious to bind you faster, if I can be convinced that it will in any degree add to your happiness. This indeed is the whole question with me. Nothing would make me more miserable than to believe you miserable; nothing more happy than to know you were so.

In what I have now said I cannot be misunderstood; and to make myself understood is the only object of this letter. If it suits you best not to answer this, farewell. A long life and a merry one attend you. But if you conclude to write back, speak as plainly as I do. There can be neither harm nor danger in saying to me anything you think just in the manner you think it.

Your friend,
A. Lincoln

31 comments on “Lincoln love letter ~”

  4. Nineteenth century American letters and newspaper articles /editorials are so much fun to read. So much is said indirectly and often you don’t know someone has been criticized until the words have really sunk in. I have to admit that I was initially shocked with my first glance of the photo seeing a statue of an assassinated president with a large whole in his body. I don’t understand the meaning of the two sculptures. At first I thought they might be chairs but it doesn’t look as thought you could sit in Mary’s lap.

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    • The sculptures are part of an international exhibit by a Chinese sculptor. The woman I believe is maybe a Chinese dignitary but I’m not sure of the story or meaning of the holes. I think trade with China opened during Lincoln’s term so perhaps it has some reference to that. It fits with the letter better if you think it’s Mary though. 🙂

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      • You’re so welcome! I think different is great, it worked very well and I hope you were entertained too, I certainly was. Your posts are always lovely, no doubt a lot of thought and creative decisions go into making them. It’s always a pleasure to be greeted by your posts in the morning. Today was good day, thank you. I hope yours was likewise, wishing you a terrific Saturday!

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  8. This made me just love Abe all the more…incredible way with words; “if it will add anything to your comfort and peace of mind to do so, it is my sincere wish that you should”
    Great post!!!

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      • I would say I’ve developed through apps like Insight Timer that have global communities and through blogging many relationships through email that often remind me of 18th century letter writing. Where we’ve never met but are now firm pen pals. And like in times of old we share all sorts of things about our lives, because we’ve never actually met. Often things that creative and close to the heart. So I think there is a form of this that has come back through the internet, but in a different way.

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      • You’re probably right in that now it’s in an altered form. People slowing down and taking the time to write I could see being one of the benefits with your work in meditation. I don’t mind letter writing but just like meditation I’m guilty of not setting aside the time. I’ll have to check out Insight Timer, thanks for mentioning it.

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