Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[Lewis Gannett]

And how on earth did you read about "heart of a thousand strings"? Henry Whitney quoted Lincoln saying that about "sexual contact." A striking thing to say for all kinds of reasons. Actually, it's quite an important quote. Where did you see it?

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I am unfamiliar with that quote. Can someone post it (in it's context) along with the circumstances it was said - if known, and keeping in mind we want to keep this discussion suitable for young students.

Since Lincoln might have been familiar with that hymn, that would be quite a shift from it's original use.

Gene C, about "heart of a thousand strings":

The source is a letter from Henry C. Whitney to Herndon dated June 23, 1887 (late in Hendon's investigation, which is interesting). You'll find it in Herndon's Informants, p. 617. About "context": I leave it up to you to establish your own sense of context. Go to HI, read Whitney's letter, form your own conclusions. Here's a partial quote. By the way, Whitney crossed it out, but it remained legible. What might that mean? Take a stab at figuring it out, Gene C!

"My opinion is (somewhat unlike yours) that Lincoln would have greatly enjoyed married life if he had go [sic] either Ann Rutledge or Miss Edwards. I think he would have been very fond of a wife had he had one to suit. But I also doubt if he would have been as great a man as he was. I have heard him say over & over again about sexual contact. 'It is the harp of a thousand strings.' Oliver Davis thought his mind run on sexual [matters] [unintelligible]."