The author says that this book may be considered a footnote to his earlier book, “The soul of Abraham Lincoln” and as a suppressed preface to a “Life of Abraham Lincoln” which he plans to write. He states that in collecting data for the first book he came upon a considerable body of material bearing on Lincoln’s paternity and discovered that a number of intelligent collectors of Lincoln books and students of history were convinced that Abraham Lincoln was not the son of Thomas Lincoln. “Moreover, the author found himself at length compelled to ask of himself the question, What if these reports are true? And he pursued his investigations with an open mind.... The author has endeavored to trace every rumor and report relating to the birth of Abraham Lincoln, to assemble all the available evidence in favor of it and against it, to judge each one of these reports upon its own merits, and to render what, he believes, is a judgment from which there can be no successful appeal.” The judgment is a refutation of the supposed evidence and the author believes that he has covered the ground so thoroughly that the matter need not be referred to again.
+ Boston Transcript p7 N 20 ’20 840w
“A convincing study which leaves not a square inch of ground for the scandal to stand on. Mr Barton’s researches have been exhaustive and—barring a few minor slips—accurate.” C. V. D.
+ Nation 111:734 D 22 ’20 820w
“It is undisputedly and indisputably a good work to which Dr Barton has set his hand.”
+ N Y Times p16 O 31 ’20 1750w R of Rs 53:222 F ’21 70w
“A scholarly monograph.”
+ Springf’d Republican p6 N 15 ’20 480w
BARTON, WILLIAM ELEAZAR. Soul of Abraham Lincoln. *$4 (3½c) Doran