Although the life of Lincoln assumed mythological proportions after his martyrdom, there are facts about his youth that do not need exaggeration.
Lincoln was a great reader throughout his life; he was intellectually curious and determined to compensate for his limited formal education.
Throughout his life, anecdotes abounded about Lincoln’s phenomenal ability to cite or quote literary works.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/abraham-lincoln-learning-by-littles.htm
In the years before public education was common (and mandated), there were many intelligent young people who lacked access to schools.
Even where schools were available, many youth (like Lincoln) were needed for farm labor at home.
Thus, the virtue of the individual pursuit of knowledge through personal reading and studying was highly-prized.
From Google:
“Self-taught men are often praised for their remarkable resilience, intrinsic motivation, and ability to overcome obstacles by actively pursuing knowledge and skills on their own, demonstrating a strong will to learn and achieve, often exceeding the limitations of traditional education systems; they are seen as pioneers of self-directed learning, inspiring others to take ownership of their intellectual development. “
The face of this postcard displays a drawing of the youthful Lincoln reading by the fight of the fireplace at night..
A book lies open before him, and Lincoln seems to be making notes with a quill pen.
Beside the rough sketch is a rough verse in praise of Lincoln’s leadership in preserving the Union.
The versifier links “Fate” and “God” in fulfilling the promise of Lincoln’s studies as a young man.
Both the image and the verse appear to have been copyrighted in 1915 by the author and artist, Mary Eyre Wintersmith Robertson.
This image and the accompanying verse appears on numerous websites, but I have not found biographical information about the author.
The postcard was published by the Kyle company of Louisville, Kentucky.
It is likely that the postcard was sold as a souvenir at the many Lincoln memorials in Kentucky and Illinois.
