y been defective, and faults of
manner and errors of taste repelled the observer at the
outset. In spite of these drawbacks, Mr. Lincoln slowly won
for himself the respect and confidence of all. His perfect
honesty speedily became apparent, and, what is, perhaps, more
to his credit, amid the many unstudied speeches which he was
called upon from time to time to deliver, imbued though they
were with the rough humour of his early associates, he was in
none of them betrayed into any intemperance of language
towards his opponents or towards neutrals. His utterances
were apparently careless, but his tongue was always under
command. The quality of Mr. Lincoln's administration which
served, however, more than any other to enlist the sympathy
of bystanders was its conservative progress. He felt his way
gradually to his conclusions, and those who will compare the
different stages of his career one with another will find
that his mind was growing throughout the course of it."

* * * * *

"The gradual change of his language and of his policy was
most remarkable. Englishmen learnt to respect a man who
showed the best characteristics of their race in his respect
for what is good in the past, acting in unison with a
recognition of what was made necessary by the events of
passing history[1295]."

This was first reaction. Two days later, commenting on the far warmer
expressions of horror and sympathy emanating from all England, there
appeared another and longer editorial:

"If anything could mitigate the distress of the American
people in their present affliction, it might surely be the
sympathy which is expressed by the people of this country. We
are not using the language of hyperbole in describing the
manifestation of feeling as unexampled. Nothing like it has
been witnessed in our generation.... But President Lincoln
was only the chief of a foreign State, and of a State with
which we were not infrequently in diplomatic or political
collision. He might have been regarded as not much more to us
than the head of any friendly Government, and yet his end has
already stirred the feelings of the public to their
uttermost depths."

* * * * *

"... a space of twenty-four hours has sufficed not only t