An Adult Friend Of Lincoln's: "life Was

Perhaps No American Family-with The Possible Exception Of The Adams Family-has Had A More Vivid And Powerful Impact On The Life Of Their Times. But The Kennedy Tale-the Spiral Compound Of Glory, Achievement, Degradation And Almost Mythical Tragedy-exerts A Fascination Upon Us That Goes Beyond Their Public Achievements.

Washington Was A Typical American. Napoleon Was A Typical Frenchman, But Lincoln Was A Humanitarian As Broad As The World. He Was Bigger Than His Country - Bigger Than All The Presidents Together.

One Of The Important Qualities That I Think Is Often Overlooked Is Just Energy. It's Vitality, And Sort Of A Life Force That Some People Have And Others Don't. Probably That Is Connected To A Love Of Whatever It Is That They're Doing. Another Quality That I Think Is Central Is Confidence. Again, Some People Are More Blessed With That Than Others.

The Past Is Not Simply The Past, But A Prism Through Which The Subject Filters His Own Changing Self-image.

(from John Hay's Diary) “the President Never Appeared To Better Advantage In The World,” Hay Proudly Noted In His Diary. “though He Knows How Immense Is The Danger To Himself From The Unreasoning Anger Of That Committee, He Never Cringed To Them For An Instant. He Stood Where He Thought He Was Right And Crushed Them With His Candid Logic.