Lincoln’s Letter to Fanny McCullough (1862)

Primary Source Comprehension • Approx. Lexile 950 • Tabs: Main Idea & Details, Inference, Vocabulary
(reads the letter)
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Primary Source Text Abraham Lincoln to Fanny McCullough • Condolence Letter

Letter to Fanny McCullough

Dear Fanny;

It is with deep grief that I learn of the death of your kind and brave Father; and, especially, that it is affecting your young heart beyond what is common in such cases.

In this sad world of ours sorrow comes to all; and, to the young, it comes with bitterest agony, because it takes them unawares.

The older have learned to ever expect it. I am anxious to afford some alleviation of your present distress.

Perfect relief is not possible, except with time. You cannot now realize that you will ever feel better.

Is not this so? And yet it is a mistake.

You are sure to be happy again. To know this, which is certainly true, will make you some less miserable now.

I have had experience enough to know what I say; and you need only to believe it, to feel better at once.

The memory of your dear Father, instead of an agony, will yet be a sad sweet feeling in your heart, of a purer, and holier sort than you have known before.

Please present my kind regards to your afflicted mother.

Your sincere friend,
A. Lincoln

Comprehension Tabs
Questions in each tab refer to the letter above.
1. What is the main purpose of Lincoln’s letter?
Main purpose of the letter.
2. What reason does Lincoln give for why sorrow feels worse to the young?
Detail about how sorrow “takes them unawares.”
3. What does Lincoln say will eventually happen to Fanny’s grief?
Detail about how her memory of her father will change.
4. Why does Lincoln mention his own experience with sorrow?
Main idea/detail about Lincoln’s perspective.
5. What can be inferred about Fanny from Lincoln’s letter?
Inference from Lincoln’s concern about her grief.
6. What does Lincoln imply about his own life?
Inference from “I have had experience enough to know what I say.”
7. Why does Lincoln repeatedly reassure Fanny she will “be happy again”?
Inference about Lincoln’s purpose in offering hope.
8. What can be inferred about Lincoln’s tone in the letter?
Inference about Lincoln’s attitude toward Fanny.
9. In the letter, the word “alleviation” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context: “afford some alleviation of your present distress.”
10. In the phrase “Perfect relief is not possible, except with time,” the word “relief” means
Vocabulary in context from Lincoln’s comment about time.
11. In the sentence “The memory of your dear Father… will yet be a sad sweet feeling,” the phrase “sad sweet feeling” suggests
Interpretation of the phrase “sad sweet.”
12. The word “afflicted” in “your afflicted mother” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context describing her mother.
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