The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-03-21

Victor Hugo.

Among the celeDTdteu names OF the french AS |
senlbly, Of France, there are few more so than
that OF Victor Hugo. As poet, dramatst,
and as romance writer, he stands in the very front
rank but as orator and legislator his success
has been less distinguished. Indeed, Hugo adds
one more 10 the numerous instances on record OF
the failure Of men Of letters, when first launched on
the untried and tempestuous Of political life,
doubtless he will add instance OF the ulti
mate success achieved by inyncible perseverance.
Some years since, the distinguished poet
ated Peer of France by the citizen King; but the
maiden speech OF the new Viscount was any thing
but a triumph, and the attempt not renewed.
In the spring OF AS, Hugo was returned by Paris
to the Constituent Assembly, and, in the month of
June in the same year, he attempted a speech in
opposition to the Government grant of three million
francs to the National work shops; but. with no
better success than before. One year from that
time he was returned by Paris member Of the
Legislative Assembly, and, the 9Th OF July last
addressed the Assembly the same general sub
iect. The order OF the day was Relief OF Deshtu-
ton, and the speaker presented vivid, perhaps an
overcharged picture Of the misery existing among
the lower classes of the French Capital. He also
declared, that it was the duty OF Government to
prevent not less than to punish crime and that the
surest mode OF putting an end to insurrection was
to put an end to starva6on-to legislate against |
misery, as well against anarchy. In support oil |
his position, he cited instance of the death OF |
man Of letters in Paris, within the week, from star
vaton This statement caused a tremendous sem |
sltiOn, arising from various causes
ly denied by the Minister Of the Interior, and pro
nounced impossible. The statement promptly |
reiterated and other instances Of extreme destitu-
ton cited the truth Of which was also, most coarsely
denied. Indeed, it was very plain that there was
a systematized plan to cough him down " exactly |
az was the fact at first with regard TO Bulwer in the
| British Parliament and also D'lsraeh, who, by
| the by, not only compels the very men, who
once derided him, to listen to what be says, bui
often makes them writhe under his merciess
scourgngs. 1t is fact not peculiar to the history
Of any people that the procttcat men rarely permit
any poaching by the ideal on their manor with i'm
| punty Every man to his trade" say they;
ours is--aaOt TO make verses" Among the as
sailants Of the distinguished poet slngularly
enough, was Montalembert who replied TO him
with much severity, But similarity of vocation is
mo assurance OF sympathy among men OF letters or
AIRY other men, to that-rather the reverse. But
the Count de Montalembert and the Viscount Vic
tor Hugo two very different men in other points
besides morals, manners and religious creed. Upon
the whole, it is not easy TO determine how much
Of the great poets ill success legislator and
popular speaker attributable to that lack of prac
teal ability which men of genius often exhibit in
the management and discussion OF public affairs !;
| and how much has been owing to that feeling Of
jealousy, SO often exhibited by practical men, at any
Infringement by men of letters, what they Affect
to deem their peculiar provocative.
In stature, Victor Hugo is low--in person full
in manners socal-in morals by no means immac-
aspect gentee yet scholarly His hair is black
complexion blonde-mouth nose and chin small
as well as his eyes, which dark, deep-set, and
overhung by forehead perfectly immense in its
expanse, and perfectly marble in its pallor In
deed, Victor Hugo's head is at once remarked by d
s stranger as vastly dsproportoned to his figure
II while his neck is brief, and his shoulders are 90
broad, that he to wear the aforesaid head, as
did Shakspeares Anthropophagi-"b between his
, shoulders y, For all this, Victor Hugo is by no
d means ugly uninteresting man. The pre-
h. vailing expression Of his countenance, when in
il, repose IS sad bnt smie-and his smiles are
very frequent and very winnng-imparts instant
70 illumination. There is st; 7ge fascination in his
Of dark eye Il burns and sumbers beneath his vas
ST snowy forehead, and IN the tones OF his voice
r which in conversation are like a woman s--likf
i Cordelias-" ever soft, gentle and low lis san
:. to dwell fascination yet more strange. In tbs
~ tribune, however, the same voice is declamatory
over strained any thing but pleasing; while hi
gesticulation is awkward and his manner as pomp
u Gus his tones grandiloquent Hugo Away
II seemed extremely busy when | saw him in tn
2 Assembly-reading papers or pamphlets, opening
h. and reading letters and answering them, etc., etc
n, while his huge hat, on the desk beside him, scenes
| a general receptacle OF all thngs-a perfect ON
- Mum g0therRBl He was constantly surrounde
IT, by friends, with whom he laughed and chatted wit
e much animation, he opened his letters, or rapid
c. penned their replies Nothing seemed to interruF
va or to put him out of humor His dress-and on
may as well sketcn morse WITHOUT
= hide as a man without his costume--seemed a
nS ways to be dark frock, light pants, white yes
NJ and collar la Byron, with loose black craya
"a This grave matter OF the collar is popularity
nj Paris Every body wears a standing collar by
Hugo and Montalembert; and almost every bod
- else wears the hair short An Englishman in ii
'oi- French capital is always distinguished by hgl
on stiff collar, which is saving lis ears off /; and
by -blooded Western American by that eavt
mn his throat bare
on | ~,
~ to be caricatured is not to be known 1t is indi
-. putable proof of insgnifcance A caricature
mrs Hugo has recently caused no little merrment TO d
title crowds gathered at the orels of the prlnt-shoE
lore 1t presents short fat, little gentleman, with
on huge head, sitting in coutemplatlve attitude, p
the in hand, upon pile of books lettered Poetry
oes nance, Drama etc. These books rest on a che
lire, filed with bags, and labelled ResteS the weig
vii of which is crushing nondescript animal label
wing I" Poesie." Hugo is wealthy Upon this p
H. of books sits the little fat man. his enormous he
M supported by small white hand his elbow reT
d sing against the twin-towers Of Notre Dame, o
heel resting on the dome of the French Acaden
ms and the other that of the Theatre Francais.
:, his right is seen the Porte st. Martin. In
90, back ground caught glimpses OF the I'M
IN wierd and unearthly objects would suppC
even the imagination of the ''Prince Of Horror
md could evoke. From the towers of the Cathed
~" M (which Hugo has immortalized) stream bann
lall labeled" Ode to the Empire ~" to the Resto
u, the poets political tergiversations There are
''e merous amusing pendants to this piece. For
stance, a swarm of little fellows, of whom he
a. utterly regardless, striving to climb the or
poets legs and kiss the soles Of his boots! 4
application of all this is easy at Paris. For tive
the years, Victor Hugo has been the Coryphaeus
-n. the French Romantic School and his Dram
'f'n Poems and Romances have rendered both him
it immortal, all wide Christendom over
000 --------s -
PLANK ROADS AND RAILROADS IN ONO
,iety The Chlcothe Gazette states that one hundret
er Of more bills for Railroads and Plank Roads h
been introduced into the lower branch of the Q
b. Legislature during its present sitting Some
'ia"S bills have been reported back from committees
W further considerations large number of Pl
'n Road acts have passed, and if one half of them
constructed that have charters, the State Of
cpal will be pretty essentially plankedi within the
are four years. The Gazette adds that good 70
were and convenient and fast methods for the transl
dis. sion of passengers, produce and merchants Sc,
erior at present the aabsorbing subjects of public
Germ in the State Of Ohio. The spirit Of impr
ment is abroad.
ex- -------
Ia THE SMITHSONIAN INsTITUTE.-Itis gra
A. ing to learn by note in the National Intellgel
that this Institution, under its present able man