HERE’S LINCOLN’S LETTER
In school, teach him, it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have sublime faith in his own ideas even if everyone tells him they are wrong.
Teach him to be gentle with gentle with gentle people and tough with the tough. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the bandwagon. Teach him to listen to all men but teach him to filter all he hears on a screen of truth and take only the good hat comes through.
Let him have the courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave, teach him always to have sublime faith in himself because then he will have sublime faith in mankind.
Teach him if you can how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness.
Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidder but never to put a price tag on his soul.
Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right. Treat him gently, do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel