Comparing The Duty Letter with the first two paragraphs of the letter of May, 1851, as printed in the footnote, it will be seen that in both letters the "frankness" of Custis Lee is commended (in The Duty Letter a homily is written on "frankness"). In both letters reference is made to Custis Lee's fellow-students, though in The Duty Letter they are called "classmates," and in the other "cadet friends." In both letters there is a reference to duty. In The Duty Letter the old Puritan anecdote is introduced, with comments which Dr. Bradford thinks "somewhat melodramatic"; in the other letter, General Lee says: "Your efforts to do your duty will bring you delight and gratification far surpassing all that idleness and selfishness can give." But the genuine letter ignores the "Old Puritan"; and the sentence about duty is in plain words, omitting the bold figure: "Duty, then, is the sublimest word in our language."[1]
- ↑ While the topics in The Duty Letter and in the letter of May 4, 1851, are the same, the language used and the treatment of the topics differ. There is, however, one parallelism of expression which attracts attention. In The Duty Letter, General Lee is made to say, "Take it
resolve to 'try and do your best,' and if that does not recompense for your devotion and labor, you will find it in the happiness which brings to father and mother, brothers and sisters, and all your friends. I do not think you lack either energy or ambition. Hitherto you have not felt the incentive to call them forth. 'Content to do well,' you have not tried 'to do better.' The latter will as assuredly follow the effort as the former. Every man has ambition. The young soldier especially feels it. Honor and fame are all that he aspires to. But he cannot reach either by volition alone, and he sometimes shrinks from the trials necessary to accomplish them. Let this never be your case. Keep them constantly before you and firmly pursue them. They will at last be won. I am very much pleased at the interest taken by the cadets in your success. Surely it requires on your part a corresponding return. They desire to see you strive at least, to gratify their wishes. Prove yourself worthy of their affection. Hold yourself above every mean action. Be strictly honorable in every act, and be not ashamed to do right. Acknowledge right to be your aim and strive to reach it. I feel so much obliged to you for the candid avowal of all your feelings. Between us two let there be no concealment. I may give you advice and encouragement and you will give me pleasure."
It is a remarkable fact that since the publication of this letter by Dr. Jones, it has disappeared, and cannot be found either among the papers of General Lee or among those of Dr. Jones. It cannot, therefore, be known whether Dr. Jones printed from a copy, or from the original. If there were both original and copy (frequently the case with General Lee's letters), then one or the other may have been left at Arlington, and used by the forger. In this case it would not be necessary to suppose that the letter was returned to the Lee family.
