Abraham Lincoln, speech delivered at the close of the Republican state convention, which named him the candidate for the United States Senate, Springfield, Illinois (June 16, 1858); in Roy P. Basler, ed., The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln (1953) vol. 2, p. 461. This is the opening sentence of the "house divided" speech.
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If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.
— Abraham Lincoln on Judgment
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it." in the context of "Abraham Lincoln, speech delivered at the close of the Republican state convention, which named him the candidate for the United States Senate, Springfield, Illinois (June 16, 1858); in Roy P. Basler, ed., The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln (1953) vol. 2, p. 461. This is the opening sentence of the "house divided" speech." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Judgment" (L)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed February 05, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and politician, steered the United States through its most tumultuous period, the Civil War. His unwavering commitment to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery forever altered the course of American history and enshrined him as a champion of equality and justice.
About Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer and politician, steered the United States through its most tumultuous period, the Civil War. His unwavering commitment to preserving the Union and abolishing slavery forever altered the course of American history and enshrined him as a champion of equality and justice.
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