The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-04

More inscriptions are TO be found on the
walls; for instanoe;-
LES DIBUx soNT AUX vAINaUBURs, CATION REsTR
AUX NA1ECUs.
besides the maxims-
GLORIA vIoT1s.-vB NBMNI.
again.
L'BsPRIT soUFFLE on IL vBUT.
I'HoNNBuR VA on IL DoIT.
and lastly, under a time piece, which ao-
companies the striking OF the hour with gay
chimes, these two verses of Victor Hugo
rourEs IAlssRNT LBUR TRACE Az CORPS CONNIE
L'BsPRT,
rouTFs BLEssENT, HELAs LA DBRNIERE GUBRIT.
Opposite the oak gallery is the library, and
other smaller rooms occupied by the members
of the family; as beneath, opposite to the
salons rouge and bleu are also smaller salon,
and the suite of apartments occupied by the
late Madame Victor Hugo. Meantime the
reader will be asking, where are the actual
chambers occupied by the poet and author
himself? Where is his own particular sane
tumH M. Lecanu must be quoted AGAIN.
"Isolated by their position in the middle Of
the sea, the majority Of the inhabitants Of
Guernsey are connected with the sea either as
sailors or in their relation to the commerce
beyond its waters. Besides, all eyes are
constantly fixed on the uncertain route by
which they expect news from their mother
county and absent friends: perhaps it may be
friend himself who is expected. This ex-
plains why each house possesses its indis-
pensable signal mast and "Look out" which
name expresses better its use than the Italian
term Belvedere. As soon as vessel appears,
as soon as vessel puts off, it is signalled by
the hsrbor flags, and instantly the signals,
repeated from house to house, announce to
the whole island the departure or arrival.
"Hauteville House has its signal mast and
lookout as well. Victor Hugo has chosen
for his chamber the lookout l was about
to say the attic, q small glass chamber, open to
every view; although narrow to the body,
boundless for the soul, containing everything
in the smallest space possible, like a ship
cabin-a small table with pen, ink, and paper,
an iron bedstead as narrow and hard as the
| bed of a soldier"
Thus far NJ. Lecanu's short notice. to which
must be added some more particulars of the
most interesting portion of Hauteville House.
Hauteville House is worthy of more than a
curs ory examination as mere museum OF
art, yet how lifeless and dissatisfying would it
| be without living genius, as it were, to ami
mate it Let us approach nearer to the more
private chamber of this genius, who lives
almost entirely in the very attic, which forms
an eyrie far above the petty Interruptions and
noises of the lower world, and where nothing
seems possible to arrest the soaring flight of
the grandest genius.
Here on the lofty balconies Victor Hugo
may be seen, especially at earliest dawn, en-
! joylDg the keen sea breezes in his favorite red
| Garibaldi costume, and ever admiring the
changing hues of the surrounding landscape;
for from here can be seen the open channel,
seldom at rest, the terrible "Casquets," with
their triple lighthouses, the preoipitous Or
tach rock, then Alderney, and the distant
coast of France from Cape la Hogue to Cou-
tances to the south Jersey, whilst nearer in
front are the broken cliffs of Sark, and the de-
| cheA ic1a md LOT NH ilpf
merable cruel reefs of rock run in many
directions, showing the difficulty of naviga-
tion. Underneath is the busy harbor, with
noble quays, breakwaters, and lighthouse,
and the massive remains of Castle Cornet;
adjoining are the narrow though picturesque
streets of st. Peter Port. On one side only
| is the view shut out by the escarped cliffs of
Havelet, topped with the smooth outworks of
Fort George; in the other direction beyond the
town the eye is carried across the fiat fields of
Vale and the sand blown common of Ian
crosse to the open sea horizon.
The contrast on entering the small attic
chambers is striking-without, the open and
unrestrained expanse; within, restricted space,
low walls and roof. Pull that handle in the
wall it discloses washing apparatus similar
to that in midshipman's chest, everything
miniature except the books, and here and
there and everywhere are books, volumes,
folios, octos, pamphlets, proof-sheets etc. In
the glass house, that projects from the north
attic, is a small wooden desk, with paper and
ink; here the author composes and writes
standing. Here too from below have
watched his lamp burning night after night
like a very Pharos of literature bearing testi-
mony to the ceaseless application, study, and
labor which combine to produce such works
as "Les Miserables' and "Notre Dame de
Paris" Not far off autographed fac. .Sen,He
of an original drawing, by Victor Hugo, forms
a striking subect-a sad, although hideOusly
touching spectacle Thrown out from dark
background by q powerful effect of chiaro-
scuro, there appears in deep relief the dead
body of a man hanging characteristic type
of the living protest against death on the scat
fold, held, unfinchingly, by the author of
''Dernier Jour dun. Condamn6" and "Claude
Gueux."
But there is yet another sentiment involved
in this picture, explained by two words below,
simple name, vulgar to English ears, yet
representing martyr to the cause of liberty
in the history of American slavery; for it is
supposed to represent the oolored abolitonst
John Brown, who was hung for his share in
the fight at Harper's Ferry on the llth of De-
cember, 1859, over nine years since.
In most eloquent letter addressed to the
United States, on the I'd December, 1859, ad-
turing them to save John Brown, he stigma
ties the contemplated execution as worse
than the murder of Abel by Cain. "C'est
Washington tuant Spartacus."
Lecanu gives an interesting account of Vic
tor Hugo as an artist with his pencil. Here it
is:-"He calls for paper pens, ink; the rooms
up stairs are searched, ransacked; at last,
oftar nuarfar of an honr a 1riad in