Gore Vidal and Lincoln's legacy

[Linda Anderson]

Great picture, Betty! I can so easily see you living in the 19th century.

I'm sorry, too, to learn of Vidal's death. I've been trying to avoid the news so I don't know the Olympic results ahead of the evening show.

I think Lincoln is a wonderful historical novel. It should be read slowly because there is so much detail on each page. Lincoln is seen through the eyes of William Seward, Mary Lincoln, John Hay, Salmon Chase, Davy Herold and others but there is always the ironical tone of the narrator that makes reading the book so much fun.

I've randomly picked out a paragraph from the beginning of the book when Lincoln sneaks into Washington after being elected President.

"Lincoln did not answer. Washburne wondered if he was listening. Outside the depot the shrunken wintry sun resembled a small, pale, yellow seal affixed to the parchment-gray sky to the left of where the Capitol's dome should be but was not. Instead, from the round marble base, reminiscent of one of Gautier's white wedding cakes, a large crane was silhouetted against the sky like a gallows."

Just in that paragraph there is vivid description, history and foreshadowing.

Later in the book Seward gives Lincoln an ill-advised memorandum. Lincoln says, 'I take two essential points from your memorandum. The first is that we should begin a continental war with the European powers as a huge diversion, including a declaration of war on Spain. Precisely how we are to overthrow the Spanish garrisons in Santo Domingo and Cuba when we cannot, properly, support one of our own forts in South Carolina, you do not say...' Lincoln put on his glasses and read. "'Either the President must do it himself, and be all the while active in it or devolve it on some member of his Cabinet.'" For a moment, Lincoln looked over the top rims of his glasses at Seward, who maintained his Jesuitical smile..."

Seward defends his position but "Lincoln tapped the table with one long finger; and Seward stopped as if he had heard the cracking of a whip...'Now I realize that it is your view that our party made a significant error in nominating me instead of you...'
"'Sir, I have never said such a thing.'
"Lincoln smiled. 'I am sure you are far too loyal a member of my Administration to ever say such a thing. But you have just written it, confidentially, to me.' Lincoln paused.
"Seward had a sense of having, somehow, lost control of a situation which he had assumed had been very much in hand. 'Sir, I have in good-and open, to you, that is-faith made know my deep opinion-'
"'For which I thank you. We shall now act as if this exchange never took place.'
"Seward rose. 'Under the circumstances, sir, I think it best for me to resign.'
"'Well, I don't. So you just stay where you are. We have more than enough work for two men to do.'"

Earlier in the exchange Seward thinks that Lincoln has "the eyes of a hunter." Perfect.