--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have not permitted myself, gentlemen…" description: "\"I have not permitted myself, gentlemen, to conclude that I am the best man in the country; but I am reminded, in this connection, of a story of an old ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/abraham-lincoln-88_best-man_i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to_1220932.png" --- # I have not permitted myself, gentlemen, to conclude that I… ![“I have not permitted myself, gentlemen, to conclude that I am the best man in the country; but I am reminded, in this connection, of a story of an old Dutch farmer, who remarked to a companion once that "it was not best to swap horses when crossing streams."” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/abraham-lincoln-88_best-man_i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to_1220932.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/abraham-lincoln-88_best-man_i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to_1220932.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/abraham-lincoln-88_best-man_i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to_1220932.png) > “I have not permitted myself, gentlemen, to conclude that I am the best man in the country; but I am reminded, in this connection, of a story of an old Dutch farmer, who remarked to a companion once that "it was not best to swap horses when crossing streams."” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns against changing strategies at critical moments, using a farmer’s tale about not swapping horses while crossing streams. **In simple terms:** Don’t change plans during crucial times. Key Takeaway Stay steady when stakes are high. Themes caution strategy decisionmaking Mood thoughtful cautious Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - business negotiations - personal crises - project milestones - political campaigns Key Concepts Risk management timing adaptability Questions to Reflect On - When have you faced a critical decision? - What risks arise from abrupt changes? A Different Perspective Changing tactics mid‑stream can cause loss of control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-man/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Companion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companion/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dutch/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Election day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election-day/) [Farmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farmers/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [I am the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am-the-best/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [No man in this country is under the smallest obligation, moral or otherwise, so to arrange his legal relations to his business or his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-clyde-james-avon-clyde/no-man-in-this-country-is-under-the-smallest-obligation-moral-or/) Lord Clyde James Avon Clyde > [I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-philip/i-am-the-only-man-in-the-country-not-allowed-to-give-his-name-to-his/) [Prince Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-philip/) > [As a general principle, I should put it that a man's country is where the things he loves are most respected. Circumstances may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/as-a-general-principle-i-should-put-it-that-a-man-s-country-is-where/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [ A brave man's country is wherever he chooses his abode. \[Lat., Patria est ubicumque vir fortis sedem elegerit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintus-curtius-rufus/a-brave-man-s-country-is-wherever-he-chooses-his-abode-lat-patria-est/) [Quintus Curtius Rufus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintus-curtius-rufus/) > [“But they could neither of them persuade me, for there is nothing dearer to a man than his own country and his parents, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/but-they-could-neither-of-them-persuade-me-for-there-is-nothing/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“The true test of civilization is not the census, nor the size of the cities, nor the crops – no, but the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-true-test-of-civilization-is-not-the-census-nor-the-size-of-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“for there is nothing dearer to a man than his own country and his parents, and however splendid a home he may have in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/for-there-is-nothing-dearer-to-a-man-than-his-own-country-and-his/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [A man's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-william-curtis/a-man-s-country-is-not-a-certain-area-of-land-of-mountains-rivers-and/) [George William Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-william-curtis/) > [There is not a man in the country that can't make a living for himself and family. But he can't make a living for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-is-not-a-man-in-the-country-that-can-t-make-a-living-for/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Yes, I am a man without a country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colonel-tom-parker/yes-i-am-a-man-without-a-country/) [Colonel Tom Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colonel-tom-parker/) > [ The whole earth is the brave man's country. \[Lat., Omne solum forti patria est.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/the-whole-earth-is-the-brave-man-s-country-lat-omne-solum-forti/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [A man's country is the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/a-man-s-country-is-the-world/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [To the free man, the country is the collection of individuals who compose it, not something over and above them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/to-the-free-man-the-country-is-the-collection-of-individuals-who-2/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Best man quotes > [“Instantly, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. I didn't know exactly what I was feeling, but my buddy JD - my best man, whom I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-bishop/instantly-i-was-overwhelmed-with-gratitude-i-didn-t-know-exactly-what/) [Bryan Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-bishop/) > [Social control is best managed through fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/social-control-is-best-managed-through-fear/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > ['Tempting the Best Man' centers around Madison Daniels, who's had a major crush on her brother's best friend since she was a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-armentrout/tempting-the-best-man-centers-around-madison-daniels-who-s-had-a/) [Jennifer Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-armentrout/) > [In this coming year, I will seek knowledge from those wiser than me and try to teach those who wish to learn from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-allman/in-this-coming-year-i-will-seek-knowledge-from-those-wiser-than-me/) [Duane Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-allman/) > [“The best man. You know? He hands you the ring and has to marry the bride if you ran away and so on. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-best-man-you-know-he-hands-you-the-ring-and-has-to-marry-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [For me it's really tough because you have to go to that place where you really, really don't want to go to or revisit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/for-me-it-s-really-tough-because-you-have-to-go-to-that-place-where/) [Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/) > [“Thank you. Thank you for raising my best friend. For raising the best man I have ever met.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/thank-you-thank-you-for-raising-my-best-friend-for-raising-the-best/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [Well, that’s just a little hard, since I can’t even talk her into sparing your life, huh? You haven’t exactly endeared yourself to her.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/well-that-s-just-a-little-hard-since-i-can-t-even-talk-her-into/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [My mother is the best not because she cooks great or wash my clothes well… she is the BEST because she gave birth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mharwhyn/my-mother-is-the-best-not-because-she-cooks-great-or-wash-my-clothes/) MHARWHYN > [“But destiny will be accomplished, and the best man will hold his ground while the undeserving one will vanish into his back-alley for ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/but-destiny-will-be-accomplished-and-the-best-man-will-hold-his/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Joss Whedon is the best man on the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobie-smulders/joss-whedon-is-the-best-man-on-the-planet/) [Cobie Smulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobie-smulders/) > [“Gillette--The best a man can get." I stared at the screen. What happened to me? I was meant to be one of those guys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/gillette-the-best-a-man-can-get-i-stared-at-the-screen-what-happened/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [As a boy I heard this story in church. A man was patching a pitched roof of a tall building when he began sliding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/as-a-boy-i-heard-this-story-in-church-a-man-was-patching-a-pitched/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [It's time for male leaders to not only ask for binders of qualified women, but to re-write the definition of 'qualified.' The best man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/it-s-time-for-male-leaders-to-not-only-ask-for-binders-of-qualified/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [Sir Alex, one of the best managers of all time. After 26 years of success in the game, we all owe him a tribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kompany/sir-alex-one-of-the-best-managers-of-all-time-after-26-years-of/) [Vincent Kompany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kompany/) [Browse all 304 Best man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have not permitted myself, gentlemen, to conclude that I am the best man in the country; but I am reminded, in this connection, of a story of an old Dutch farmer, who remarked to a companion once that \"it was not best to swap horses when crossing streams.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to-conclude-that-i-am-the-best/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to-conclude-that-i-am-the-best/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/abraham-lincoln-88_best-man_i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to_1220932.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/abraham-lincoln-88_best-man_i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to_1220932.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/766/abraham-lincoln-88_best-man_i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to_1220932.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have not permitted myself, gentlemen, to conclude that I am the best man in the country; but I am…” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have not permitted myself, gentlemen,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to-conclude-that-i-am-the-best/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-not-permitted-myself-gentlemen-to-conclude-that-i-am-the-best/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```