The immortal twenty-line address at Gettysburg is the high water mark of sententious eloquence.

With that speech should be placed the pathetic and equally perfect letter of condolence to Mrs.Bixby of Boston after her five sons had fallen in battle.

With that speech also should be read that wonderful second Inaugural address which even the hostile _London Times_ pronounced to be the most sublime state paper of the century.

This second address--his last great production--contained some of the best illustrations of his fondness for balanced antithesis and rhythmical measurement.

There is one sentence which may be rendered into rhyme: "Fondly do we hope, Fervently do we pray That this mighty scourge of war May soon pass away" Terrible as was the tragedy of that April night, thirty-seven years ago, it may be still true that Lincoln died at the right time for his own imperishable fame.