Lincoln and Ann Rutledge

[Gene C]

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]."

thanks for the info...here is what Wikipedia (not my favoirite source) has to say about Henry Whitney http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Whitney
(under "Works" ..."Whitney has been described as an 'unscrupulous reporter', willing to stretch the facts to make his point".)

Just my observation..."I've heard him say over & over agian....."
If Lincoln really did say it over & over again, it's a shame that no one else remembers or documented that Lincoln said this.