Lincoln, Mark Twain & Lightning: Choice Words On Word Choice

by Ernest W. Nicastro "Eighty-seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation...." The Gettysburg Address Chances are your reaction to the above "quote" is something along the lines of, "No, no, no! You're wrong, wrong, wrong!" And, of course, you would be right. Because Lincoln was not only a great leader, he was a great writer. So instead of beginning his Gettysburg Address with a cold, lifeless number, he opens on a prayerful note with a turn of phrase adapted from the 90th Psalm of the King James Bible: "Four score and seven." (more ...)