Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address, 1838, Springfield, IL (Closing paragraphs)

Lincoln’s own words…

Another reason which once was; but which, to the same extent, is now no more, has done much in maintaining our institutions thus far. I mean the powerful influence which the interesting scenes of the revolution had upon the passions of the people as distinguished from their judgment. By this influence, the jealousy, envy, and avarice, incident to our nature, and so common to a state of peace, prosperity, and conscious strength, were, for the time, in a great measure smothered and rendered inactive; while the deep-rooted principles of hate, and the powerful motive of revenge, instead of being turned against each other, were directed exclusively against the British nation. And thus, from the force of circumstances, the basest principles of our nature, were either made to lie dormant, or to become the active agents in the advancement of the noblest cause--that of establishing and maintaining civil and religious liberty.

But this state of feeling must fade, is fading, has faded, with the circumstances that produced it.

I do not mean to say, that the scenes of the revolution are now or ever will be entirely forgotten; but that like every thing else, they must fade upon the memory of the world, and grow more and more dim by the lapse of time. In history, we hope, they will be read of, and recounted, so long as the bible shall be read;-- but even granting that they will, their influence cannot be what it heretofore has been. Even then, they cannot be so universally known, nor so vividly felt, as they were by the generation just gone to rest. At the close of that struggle, nearly every adult male had been a participator in some of its scenes. The consequence was, that of those scenes, in the form of a husband, a father, a son or brother, a living history was to be found in every family-- a history bearing the indubitable testimonies of its own authenticity, in the limbs mangled, in the scars of wounds received, in the midst of the very scenes related--a history, too, that could be read and understood alike by all, the wise and the ignorant, the learned and the unlearned.--But those histories are gone. They can be read no more forever. They were a fortress of strength; but, what invading foeman could never do, the silent artillery of time has done; the leveling of its walls. They are gone.--They were a forest of giant oaks; but the all-resistless hurricane has swept over them, and left only, here and there, a lonely trunk, despoiled of its verdure, shorn of its foliage; unshading and unshaded, to murmur in a few gentle breezes, and to combat with its mutilated limbs, a few more ruder storms, then to sink, and be no more.

They were the pillars of the temple of liberty; and now, that they have crumbled away, that temple must fall, unless we, their descendants, supply their places with other pillars, hewn from the solid quarry of sober reason. Passion has helped us; but can do so no more. It will in future be our enemy. Reason, cold, calculating, unimpassioned reason, must furnish all the materials for our future support and defence.--Let those materials be moulded into general intelligence, sound morality, and in particular, a reverence for the constitution and laws: and, that we improved to the last; that we remained free to the last; that we revered his name to the last; that, during his long sleep, we permitted no hostile foot to pass over or desecrate his resting place; shall be that which to learn the last trump shall awaken our WASHINGTON.

Upon these let the proud fabric of freedom rest, as the rock of its basis; and as truly as has been said of the only greater institution, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

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The same paragraphs, rewritten for a high school reader by ChatGPT (January 2024)

One more reason that was once important but isn't as much now has played a big role in keeping our institutions going. I'm talking about the strong impact that the interesting events of the revolution had on people's emotions, separate from their logical thinking. During that time, feelings like jealousy, envy, and greed, which are common in peaceful and prosperous times, were, for a while, kept in check. At the same time, deep-seated feelings of hatred and a strong desire for revenge, instead of being directed against each other, were solely focused on the British nation. As a result, due to these circumstances, the less admirable aspects of human nature were either temporarily subdued or turned into active forces for the noble cause of establishing and preserving civil and religious liberty.

However, this emotional state is fading and has already diminished along with the circumstances that gave rise to it. I don't mean to suggest that the memories of the revolution are fading away entirely, but like everything else, they are gradually fading from the collective memory of the world, becoming increasingly faint with the passage of time. We hope that in history, they will continue to be read and recounted for as long as the Bible is read. However, even if they are remembered, their influence cannot match what it once was. They cannot be as universally known or deeply felt as they were by the generation that has recently passed away.

At the end of that struggle, almost every adult male had participated in some way, making those scenes a living history within every family—a history evident in the limbs scarred, the wounds received, amidst the very scenes being narrated. It was a history that could be understood by all, whether wise or ignorant, learned or unlearned. But those living histories are no more; they can no longer be read. They were a fortress of strength, but the relentless artillery of time has dismantled their walls. They were a forest of mighty oaks, yet the overpowering hurricane has swept through, leaving only a few solitary trunks, stripped of their foliage, exposed to gentle breezes and harsher storms, destined to murmur for a while before eventually succumbing to oblivion.

They were the pillars supporting the temple of liberty, and now that they have crumbled, that temple is at risk of falling—unless we, their descendants, replace them with new pillars crafted from the solid quarry of sober reason. Passion may have aided us in the past, but it can no longer do so; it will be our adversary in the future. Reason—calm, rational, and unimpassioned—must supply all the materials for our ongoing support and defense. Let these materials take the form of widespread intelligence, sound morality, and, most importantly, a reverence for the constitution and laws. Our commitment to improvement, to remaining free, and to preserving the legacy of Washington should be unwavering. During his prolonged slumber, we must ensure that no hostile forces violate or defile his resting place. These values should serve as the bedrock for the proud structure of freedom, and just as it has been said of the greatest institution, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."