“Tolstoy went on to observe,"This little incident proves how largely the name of Lincoln is worshipped throughout the world and how legendary his personality has become. Now, why was Lincoln so great that he overshadows all other national heroes? He really was not a great general like Napoleon or Washington; he was not such a skillful statesman as Gladstone or Frederick the Great; but his supremacy expresses itself altogether in his peculiar moral power and in the greatness of his character."Washington was a typical American. Naopoleon was a typical Frenchmen, but Lincoln was a humanitarian as broad as the world. He was bigger than his country--- bigger than all the Presidents t,ogether. We are still too near to his greatness, " Tolstoy concluded, "but after a few centuries more our posterity will find him considerably bigger than we do. His genius is still too strong and too powerful for the common understanding, just as the sun is too hot when it's light beams directly on us.”
Quote Analysis: Lincoln's Peculiar Moral Power
In this quote, Leo Tolstoy reflects on the enduring legacy of Abraham Lincoln and ponders on why his greatness transcends that of other national heroes. Tolstoy emphasizes Lincoln's moral power and character as the key factors that set him apart from military leaders like Napoleon or statesmen like Gladstone. He suggests that Lincoln's humanitarianism and moral stature make him a figure larger than his country or even all the Presidents combined. Tolstoy also predicts that as time passes, future generations will come to recognize Lincoln's genius and greatness even more profoundly, comparing his influence to the overwhelming power of the sun's rays.
Modern Relevance
Leo Tolstoy's reflection on Abraham Lincoln's legacy highlights the enduring impact of the 16th President of the United States. Despite not fitting the traditional mold of a great leader, Lincoln's moral strength and character set him apart. His ability to inspire and unite a nation during a time of immense division continues to resonate today, serving as a reminder of the power of leadership based on principles and humanity rather than force or cunning.
Examples of Usage
In her book, Doris Kearns Goodwin recounts a passage where Leo Tolstoy reflects on the enduring legacy of Abraham Lincoln and his unique moral power. Tolstoy compares Lincoln to other historical figures like Napoleon, Washington, Gladstone, and Frederick the Great, emphasizing Lincoln's humanitarianism and moral greatness.
Reflection Questions:
After reading the quote by Leo Tolstoy about Abraham Lincoln's enduring greatness, take a moment to reflect on the following questions:
- What do you think Tolstoy meant by stating that Lincoln's supremacy was not in his military or political accomplishments, but in his moral power and character?
- Do you agree with Tolstoy's assertion that Lincoln's humanitarianism made him stand out as a leader on a global scale?
- In your opinion, what qualities or actions of Lincoln do you think contributed to his lasting legacy and continued admiration from people around the world?
- How do you think Lincoln's influence and impact compare to other historical figures such as Napoleon, Washington, Gladstone, and Frederick the Great?
- Reflecting on Tolstoy's statement about Lincoln's genius being "too strong and too powerful for the common understanding," do you believe that time has further elevated Lincoln's stature as a historical figure?
- In what ways, if any, do you think Lincoln's example can continue to inspire and guide individuals in contemporary society?
Similar quotes
“Washington was a typical American. Napoleon was a typical Frenchman, but Lincoln was a humanitarian as broad as the world. He was bigger than his country - bigger than all the Presidents together.We are still too near to his greatness,' (Leo) Tolstoy (in 1908) concluded, 'but after a few centuries more our posterity will find him considerably bigger than we do. His genius is still too strong and powerful for the common understanding, just as the sun is too hot when its light beams directly on us.' (748)”
“If there is not the war, you don't get the great general; if there is not a great occasion, you don't get a great statesman; if Lincoln had lived in a time of peace, no one would have known his name.”
“It is dangerous to explain too clearly to man how like he is to the animals without pointing out his greatness. It is also dangerous to make too much of his greatness without his vileness. It is still more dangerous to leave him in ignorance of both, but it is most valuable to represent both to him.Man must not be allowed to believe that he is equal either to animals or to angels, nor to be unaware of either, but he must know both.”
“After his failed political career, Lincoln often pondered the question of the purpose of the meaning of life. In 1850 [ten years before he was elected President], Lincoln told Herdon [his law partner] "How hard, oh how hard it is to die and leave one's country no better than if one had never lived.”
“You differ from a great man in only one respect: the great man was once a very little man, but he developed one important quality: he recognized the smallness and narrowness of his thoughts and actions. Under the pressure of some task that meant a great deal to him, he learned to see how his smallness, his pettiness endangered his happiness. In other words, a great man knows when and in what way he is a little man. A little man does not know he is little and is afraid to know. He hides his pettiness and narrowness behind illusions of strength and greatness, someone else's strength and greatness. He's proud of his great generals but not of himself. He admires an idea he has not had, not one he has had. The less he understands something, the more firmly he believes in it. And the better he understands an idea, the less he believes in it.”