Fifteenyearspassedbeforeagainhewasafreemanfinancially。

　　Anewandpowerfulinfluencecameintohislifeduringthehalfidlenessofhisunsuccessfulstorekeeping。Itisworthrepeatinginhisownwords，orwhatseemstobethefairlyaccuraterecollectionofhiswords：“OnedayamanwhowasmigratingtotheWest，droveupinfrontofmystorewithawagonwhichcontainedhisfamilyandhouseholdplunder。HeaskedmeifIwouldbuyanoldbarrelforwhichhehadnoroominhiswagon，andwhichhesaidcontainednothingofspecialvalue。IdidnotwantitbuttoobligehimIboughtitandpaidhim，Ithink，ahalfadollarforit。WithoutfurtherexaminationIputitawayinthestoreandforgotallaboutitSometimeafter，inoverhaulingthings，Icameuponthebarrelandemptyingituponthefloortoseewhatitcontained，I

　　foundatthebottomoftherubbishacompleteeditionofBlackstone’sCommentaries。Ibegantoreadthosefamousworks，andIhadplentyoftime；forduringthelongsummerdayswhenthefarmerswerebusywiththeircrops，mycustomerswerefewandfarbetween。ThemoreIread，themoreintenselyinterestedIbecame。Neverinmywholelifewasmymindsothoroughlyabsorbed。IreaduntilIdevouredthem。“[7]

　　Themajestyofthelawatthebottomofabarreloftrashdiscoveredataventureandtakinginstantpossessionofthediscoverer’smind!LikethegeniusissuinggrandlyinthesmokecloudfromthevasedrawnupoutoftheseabythefisherintheArabiantale!Butthisgreatbookwasnottheonlymagiccasketdiscoveredbytheidlestore-keeper，thebrokensealsofwhichreleasedmightypresences。BothShakespeareandBurnswererevealedtohiminthisperiod。Neverafterdideitherforamomentceasetobehiscompanion。TheseliterarytreasureswerefoundatSpringfieldtwentymilesfromNewSalem，whitherLincolnwentonfootmanyatimetoborrowbooks。

　　Hissubsistence，afterthefailureofBerry&Lincoln，wasderivedfromthefriendlinessoftheCountySurveyorCalhoun，whowasaDemocrat，whileLincolncalledhimselfaWhig。

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