One of Abraham Lincoln's favorite stories went something like this: One time a lawyer and a preacher struck up a conversation after meeting as fellow passengers on a train. They noted similarities of their professions, that each required effective oratory, sometimes extemporaneously, in order to persuade their audience. The preacher asked the lawyer, "What do you do when you are speaking, and then you discover you made a mistake in something you said?" "Oh, it depends upon the size of the mistake," the lawyer answered. "If it were a big mistake, I would correct it immediately. But if it were a small mistake, I'd let it pass. How about you?" "I do it the same way as you do," said the preacher. "For example, the other day while giving a sermon, I meant to say: 'The Devil is the father of all liars.' Instead, I said: 'The Devil is the father of all lawyers.' I realized my error right away. But since it was such a small mistake, I just let it go." |
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