Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-11-25
History Of the Marseilles.

The Marsailles presents notes of the song
of glory and the shrek of death, glorious as
the one: funeral as like the other, it assures
the country while it makes the citizens turn
pale. This is its history There was then
lat the time of the French revolution, 1880 IA
young officer Of the artillery, in the garrison
Of Strasburg, named Rouget de Isle. He
was born at Louis lie SUMMER, in the Jura,
that country of revelry and energy as noun
famous countries always are. He charmed
with his music and verses the slow dull gar
risen life. Much in request from his two
fold talens as musician and poet, he visited
the house of Dietrich, an Alsatiau Patriot on
intimate terms. In the winter Of 1892, there
was a scarcely in Strasburg. The house of
Dietrich was poor and the table humble, but
there was always welcome for Rouget de
Lisle. Once when there was only some
coarse bread and slices of ham on the table,
Dietrich looked with calm sadness and said
TO him" Plenty is no, seen at our feasts,
but what matter if enthusiasm is not wan
ting at our civic fares and courage in orr
soldiers hearts. have still bottle of wine
in my cellor. Bring it,' said he to his daugh-
ter, "and we will drink to liberty and our
country. Strasburg is to have a patriotic
ceremony, and De Lisle must be inspired to
produce one those hymns which convey to
the souls of the people the enthusiasm which
suggested it,"
They drink-De Isle was a dreamer
his heart was moved, his head was heated
He wen, staggering to his chamber, endeav-
oring by degrees to find inspiration in the
palpatations Of his citizen heart; and on his
small harpsichord now composing the air
I.,fo IL de-, l.. al
air, combining them so intimately in his
mind that he could never tell which was the
first produced, the air or words, SO impossi-
bic did he find it TO separate the music from
the poetry, and the feeling from the impress
sion. He sang every thing-wrote nothing.
Overcome his divine inspiratios, his head
fell sleeping on his instrument, and he did
not awake till daylight. The song of the
overnight returned to his memory, with diff
Guilty. like the recollections of dream. He
wrote it down and gave it to Dietrich, who
called together some musicians who were
capable of executing De Lisle's composition.
De Lisle sang. At the first verse all coun-
tenances turned pale-at the second, tears
flowed; at the last, enthusiasm burst forth.
The hymn of the country was found. Alas!
ii was destined to be the hymn of terror.
The unfortunate Dietrich went few months
afterwards to the scaAold to the sound of the
notes first produced at his own Preside and
from the heart of his friend.
The new song, some weeks after, was sang
at Strasburg. 1t flew from city to city.
Marseiles adopted it to be sung at the open
ing and close Of its clubs. The Marseilles
spread il all over F,ance. Hence the name
Of Marseilles.
De Lis!e himself heard it and shuddered at
its sound on his ears. while escaping by the
wild passes of the Alps as a prescribed Roy
alist. "What Go they call that hymn 81 he
inquired of his guide. "The Marseilles,"
answered the peasant 1t was thus he learn
de the name of his own work The arm
was turned against the hand that forged it.
6 r4 LamartiAe.