| Summary: | One of the reasons why Lincoln failed to impress the European elites was that statesmen were expected to show a noble strength of purpose matched by a lofty style. He did not meet the criteria applicable to statesmen, who were expected to show strength of purpose and a personal style. Lack of appreciation of Lincoln’s literary style and of his statesmanship went hand in hand. If, as the Comte de Buffon had it, “the style is the man himself,” the early reports of his dress, appearance and manners and the later reception of the style of his speeches and writings reinforced this unfavorable view. This failure to take the proper measure of the man includes ignorance of how his unique style, forged in the crucible of conflict, reflected a relentless quest for authorship that matched his relentless ambition for leadership.
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