_My Dear Sir_: I am greatly obliged for your early picture of Abraham
Lincoln, which I regard as an important contribution to history. It is
without doubt authentic and accurate; and dispels the illusion so
common (but never shared by me) that Mr. Lincoln was an ugly-looking
man. In point of fact, Mr. Lincoln was always a noble-looking--always
a highly intellectual looking man--not handsome, but no one of any
force ever thought of that. All pictures, as well as the living man,
show _manliness_ in its highest tension--this as emphatically as the
rest. This picture was a surprise and pleasure to me. I doubt not it
is its first appearance. It will be hailed with pleasure by friends of
Mr. Lincoln. You ought to put his _latest_ picture (the one I told
Miss Tarbell about) with it. This picture was probably taken between
December, 1847, and March, 1849, while he was in Congress. I never saw
him with his hair combed before.
Yours,