The Shasta courier., 1855-06-23
History of the Narsei.les.

The Marselles Hymn presents notes of the
song of glory and the shrek Of death; glorious
as the one, funeral like the other, it assures the
country while it makes the citizen turn pale.
This is It's history: There was then (at the time
of the French Revolution, 1790) young officer
of the artillery, in the garrison of Strasburg,
named Rouget de Lisle. He was born at Lous
lie Sannier in the Jura, that country of revelry
and energy, mountain countries always are.
He charmed with his music and verses the slow
dull garrison life. Much in request from his two
fold talent musician and poet, he visited the
house of Dietrich, Alsatlan patriot, on init
mate terms In the winter of 1899, there was
scarcity i'll Strasburg. The house OF Dietrich
was poor and the table humble, but there was
always u welcome for Rouget de Lsle. Once
when there only some coarse bread and
slices of ham on the table, Dietrich looked
with calm sadness and said to him" Plenty is
not seen at our feasts, but what matter if enhu-
slasm Is not wanting at our civic fetes, and cour-
age in soldier hearts. still have n bottle
of wine III my cellar I" Bring it, he said to his
daughter " and we will drink TO liberty and our
country. Strasburg is soon to have patriotic
ceremony. and De Lisle must be inspired to pro-
duce one of those hymns which convey to the
souls OF the people The enthusiasm which sug-
gested it z"
They drank-De Lisle was a dreamer-his
head was heated. He went staggering to his
CHAMBER, enuedVOrlnS Dy degrees 10 ma lnSpl-
ration In the palpitationS OF his citizens heart ;
and on his small harpsichord now composing
the air before the words, combining them So in-
timately in his mind that he could never tell
which was the first produced, the air or the
words, so impossible did he find it to separate
the music from the poetry and the feeling from
the Impression. He sang ything-wrote
nothing. Overcome by the divine inspiration,
his head fell sleeping on his instrument, and he
did not awake till daylight. The song of the
over night returned to his memory with diff
Guilty, like the recollections of dream. He
wrote 1t down and give 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 countenances turned
pale-at the second, tears flowed at the last
enthusiasm burst forth. The hymn of the coun-
try was found. Alas it was destined to become
the hymn OF terror. The unfortunate Dietrich
went few months afterws rds TO the scaffold TO
the sound of the notes first produced at his fire.
side, and from the heart of his friend.
The new song, some weeks afterwards was
sung at Strasburg. 1t flew from city to city.
Marseilles adopted it to be sung at the ope-
ming and close ofits clubs. The Marseiles spread
all over France. Hence the name of Marseilles
De Llse heard it and shnddered at its sound
on his ears. while escaping by the wild passes
OF the Alps as prescribed Royalst "What do
you call that hymn 7" he inquired of his guide
The Marseilles," answered the peasant. Il
was thus he learned the name of his own work
The arm was turned against the hand that forged
it.