Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[Eva Elisabeth]

Hi Eva E, yes it's true that it was Robert's idea to attend those schools but AL didn't discourage him in the least and in fact seemed very proud of his oldest son. As for Willie, by all accounts he was the brightest of the Lincoln children and was highly intelligent. Everyone who met him remarked on his bright promise and how proud AL and Mary were of him. He composed poetry and essays, and was a whiz at math. He would hardly have needed prodding intellectually(unlike Tad).

I agree on all this, but my point was that he did not FORCE his children to success, nor did his affection depend on their success - and that makes a BIG difference. Everybody loves a winner (sings Sally Bowles in "Cabaret"), and most parents are proud of "winner kids". Abraham Lincoln showed as much affection - or even more - for Tad as for the other two more ambitious and successful boys, and defended him instead advising to "let him run".

Though I have to admit he seemed to be the least laissez-faire with Robert. I just recalled on his last day (according to Hay) he advised Robert he "must lay aside your uniform, and return to college. I wish you to read law for three years, and at the end of that time I hope that we will be able to tell whether you will make a lawyer or not."

(I think - especially with regard to Tad - Abraham Lincoln felt like Luke 5:31 "They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick", and I seem to recall he once stated something in line with that.)