George H.W. Bush penned an emotional, inspirational letter to incoming President Bill Clinton during his last hours in the White House.

Dated Jan. 20, 1993, Bush's note — handwritten at his desk in the Oval Office— reads:

"When I walked into this office just now I felt the same sense of wonder and respect that I felt four years ago. I know you will feel that, too. I wish you great happiness here.

At a campaign event in Pittsburgh June 14, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton described a letter former president George H. W. Bush left for her husband in the White House. Clinton said the letter illustrated "the America we love." (Reuters)

When a President of the United States steps down from office, he will traditionally leave behind a note for his successor in the Oval Office.

The note penned by George HW Bush to Bill Clinton has gone viral in recent days, after it was shared on social media by Twitter user @CameronJJJ, who described it as “magnanimous, bipartisan & dignified.”