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" But theje is another kind of greatness that, to me, is infinitely greater, and that is the greatness of personal character. It is seldom that we find in exact proportions all the virtues united in any man; seldom that we find a man who by their combination secures univer- sal confidence and trust from those in all ranks of life. It is not often that such men are represented in the history of the world. I have soim-tiim-s, in my personal contact with people, thought that there are some such in private life, of whom the world never hears; men who have the making of great geniuses within them; men who combine all these great .virtues and qualities, which on occasion would rise and assert themselves, but they live on their quiet, hidden, beautiful lives, and many such often die without their power ever being known, perhaps, even to themselves, because the opportunity was never given to them to signalize these qualities.
" To me there are two men in American history who are great all around; two men whose lives stand out in beautiful harmony of pro- portion, in noble exemplification of all virtues, and all the excellence that can be summed up as belonging to the noblest types of man- hood; the best of God. And I am glad that these men belong to the American nation.
THE AMERICAN WASHINGTON AND THE AMERICAN LEE
are the two men who have always stood in my mind for the best things American genius, talent, power, for the best things Christian. The first of these men immortalized himself a hundred years ago. Washington was as great at Valley Forge as when he led the Ameri- can army to victory. He was quite as great when he retired to pri- vate life, and when people wanted to make him king he rejected the temptation, content to be the representative of American principle among his people. Repelling temptation showed that he had within him the true elements of greatness, the power to resist, and this more than all else made him first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.
"In my judgment George Washington, from the moment when he showed the power to set aside temptation and reject the crown, has been the uncrowned king of the American people. From that day to this he is king, and will remain as long as there is an historian capable of writing American history.
" It has always seemed to me that Robert Lee, born a century
after, was the twin brother of George Washington. I am glad that II
