The Nevada journal., 1855-07-06
History Of the MarseiIles.

The Marseilles 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
citizens turn pale. This is its history -
There was then Cat the time of the French
revolution, l790) a 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 coun-
try of revelry and energy, as mountain
countries always are. He charmed with
his music and verses the slow dull garrison
life. Much in request from his two-fold
talent as musician and poet, he visited
the house of Dietrich, an Alsatian patriot,
on intimate terms. In the winter of 1899,
there was scarcity in Strasburgh. The
house Of Dietrich was poor and the table
| humble, but there was always welcome
for Rouget de Lisle. Once when there
was ocly some coarse bread and slices of
ham OIL The table, Dietrick looked with
calm sadness end said to him .--"Plenty
IS not seen at our faasts, but what matter
i enthusiasm is not wanting at our civic
tetes, and cou.age in sur soldier hearts =
| still have bottle Of wine in my cellar.
"Bring it," he said to his daughter, "and
we viii drink to liberty and our country
Stl asburg is soon tc have patriotic cere-
mony and Dc Llsle must be inspired
to produce one OF those hymns which con
vey to the sous of the people the enthu-
siasm which suggested it."
They drank--De Lisle was dreamer
bis head was heated He went staggering
to his chamber endeavorlng by degrees to
fine inspiration in the palpitations of his
citizcn's heart, and on his small harpsi-
chard now composing the air before the
words, combining them so intimately in
his mind that he could never tell which
was the first produced, the air or the
words, SO impossible did he find it tc separ-
ate the music from the poetry, and the
feeling from the impression He sang
everything-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
difficulty, like the recollections of dream
He wrote it down and give it to Dietrich,
who called together some musicians who
were capable of executing De Lisle's COM
position De LIsle sang At the first
verse ali countenances turned pale-at
the second, tears lowed; at the last en-
thusiasm burst forth The hymn of the
country was found Alas it was destin-
ed to become the hymn of terror. The
unfortunate Dietrich went few months
afterwards to the scaffold to the sound of
the notes first produced at his fre-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 opening and close of its clubs
The Marseilles spread all over France =
Henco the name of Marseilles.
De Lisle heard it and shuddeled at its
sound on his ears, while escaping by the
wild passes of the Alps as prescribed
Royalst. "What do you call that hymn"
he inquired of his guide. THE Mar
seilles," answered the peasant. 1t was
thus he learned the name of his own work
The arm was turned against the hand that
forged it.