Lincoln’s Wit/Wisdom 238

One of Lincoln’s colleagues in the Illinois legislature wrote, 'We followed his lead; but he followed nobody's lead. It may almost be said that he did our thinking for us. He inspired respect although he was careless and negligent. He was poverty itself but independent. He sought company and indulged in fun without stint... still when by himself he told me that he was so overcome by mental depression that he never dared carry a knife in his pocket.'