林肯的这篇演说是演说史上著名的篇章，其思想的深刻，行文的严谨，语言的冼练，确实是不愧彪炳青史的大手笔。通篇演讲不到三分钟。
演说的场合是国葬典礼，所以演说的主调是凭吊国殇，赞美了那些作出最后牺牲的人以及他们为之献身的理想。其中政府应为民有、民治、民享的名言被人们广为传颂。整篇演说言虽尽而意无穷。演说思想深刻，行文严谨，语言洗练，朴素中显优雅，行文完美无疵，是世界演说史上的珍品。
是作为范文来独,
林肯口才集?
Lincoln’s Rhetoric林肯的口才(英中对照)
A woman with a commanding air told Lincoln: “Mr. President, you must give me a colonel’s commission for my son. Sir, I demand it, not as a favor, but as a right. Sri, my grandfather fought at Lexington, Sir, my uncle was the only man that did not run away at Bladensburg, Sir, my father fought at New Orleans, and my husband was killed at Monterey.”
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一位妇女用命令的口吻对林肯说：“总统先生，你必须给我的儿子一张上校的委任状。先生，我提出这个要求不是想要得到优待，而是作为一个权利。先生，我的袓父参加过列克星敦战役，我叔叔是布拉登斯堡战斗中唯一没有逃跑的人，我父亲参加了新尔奥良的战斗，我丈夫在蒙特利阵亡。”
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“I guess, madam,” said Lincoln, “your family has done enough for the country. It is time to give somebody a chance.”
“夫人”林肯说，“我想你的一家已为国家做了够多的贡献了。现在该给别人一个机会了。”
Form discussing the physical peculiarities of Douglas, who was a very small man, a group of Lincoln’s friend turned to the question of how long a man’s legs should be. Upon Lincoln’s joining the group, he was asked the question.
有一次，林肯的一群朋友在谈论道格斯身材矮小 —- 后来话题转到了一个人的腿该有多长，后来林肯来了，他们就问他这个问题。
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“well,” he said, “ I should think a man’s legs ought to be long enough to reach from his body to the ground.”
“嗯。”他说, “我认为一个人的腿是要能使他的身体够着地就行了。”