New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-13
EDGAR QUINRT.
HIS DEATH AND FUNERAL.


PARIS, March 31.-The latest neurological list
includes the names of the Count de Jmnac, the
French ambassador to England; Of the venerable
Madame Ancelot, estimable autlloress; OF Me-
hngue. the greatest of actors in the romantco-hls
tOric drama, except Frederick Lematre, and more
eminent than all. that of Edgar Quinet the poet,
historian, philosopher. Of Quinecs literary works,
volumlnous as they are land he Kept on
adding TO Them to the last days of his noble
old age). perhaps less is known abroad than
of the works of any Of his contemporaries,
less certainly than of those of his 4" constant
rival and friend" Michelet, with whose name his is
80 constantly associated In France his books have
been less read than thers-less read than talked of
and admired. One reason may be that he was less
French than they. Whether from his natural turn
of mind or from his studies at Heidelberg and q
learned familiarity with the ideas and manners of
the masters Of German thought he lacked something
of the characteristic French cearness of expression
and distinctness of style. He acquired something of
mysticism in feeling and conception; his poems ran
into philosophy; his historical statements were seme
times little confused as well as elevated by poetical
and philosophical reverie. Highly as all of us spoke
of Merlin rEnchdntem when that grand allegor-
ical prose poem was published in 1860, am afraid
very few of then read the two volumes through;
and completed their perusal since. 1t was indeed.
and properly, otherwise with La Rerolation, pub
lshed in 1865, and now in its sixth edition. This
most read and discussed of all his later works fully
deserved the attention it received several ac-
counts, but especially because it was the
first grave and able historical book on
the French Revolution proceeding from
thoroughly republican pen, that broke with the
republican tradition In treating of that fOrndably
benehcent revolution. In il, Qunet il neither Dan
tonst, like his friend Michelet RObespierrist,
like his friend Louis Blanc. Although highly hon
orng the great good work then done for France and
humanity, he not only does not award lump-lauda-
ton to all the workers. does not condone their evil
deeds and evil passions, bat frankly condemns
their policy OF passion, protests against the impOcy
of temporarily enEsting arbitrary violence in the
service of liberty, and shows lis that the
echo of the dying kings words of peace
on the scafold must and ought TO, have
survived the brutal din of drImsticks dead sheep
skin. No Frenchman was of more thorough repub-
cnlis1n than Edgar Quinet. 1t in its purity of
the fine, high quality that practical, respectable
felix's apologize to themselves for not initiating by
styling it fanatica He lived in exile, unostenta-
tiously, from the time when the " late lamented"
Imperial perurer drove him from France till the
and admired author of the prosperity Of France
began starting to leave it the way to Wilhelms-
h0he.
The lectures which Quinet delivered at the College
of France, where he Was the colleague and friendly
rival of MIchelet land whence the two were elected
for their liberalism in 1s45 by GuizNt then at the
hight Of what he held to be the soidest power be-
cause lie deemed that he held it)-these lectures
and some Ofhis numerous brefer review articles and
pamphlets, were listened to and read with more
direct effect on hearers and readers than most Of
his published volumes.
Two mornings ago the funeral procession follow
ing his bier started from Versailles Whenit entered
Paris, and as il moved toward the cemetery of Mont
Parnasse, it grew and grew by accession of new
thousands. 1t n civil interment; that il, this
husk of Edgar Quinets soul put in its last rest
ing-place without clerical participation 1t was.
and was announced to be, an occasion of political
manifestation. The number of persons who took
part in this manifestation Is, as usual varlousiy es-
timated, and by its favorers has been, as usual,
very much exaggerated. There were not 20 many
az a hundred thousand nay as fifty thousand,
who followed the bier. There has not been so many
walking human beings following any funeral cH
since have been in Paris, these "a years There
were not So many as the simplest cool calculation
demonstrates, at the funeral of Victor Hsgo's
last buried son. Whether there might not
have been more on the occasion Of Bsranger's
brrial no one can tell, his funeral having
been scrupulously guarded from a too multi
tudHous following by the strong Government
of Louis Napoleon. Hereby presents itself The first
notable point in the political manifestation OF the
Republican Quinet-s funeral. When, few years
ago. on theanniversary of Deputy Baudn's death, "A
few persons purposed going in pilgrimage of honor
10 his unmarked tomb at Montmartre, the whole
garrison of Paris consigned TO its barracks and
kept ready there to act at moments notice. Out
of that BarIdin demonstration, so ably bungled by
the Imperial police grew the Baudin trials, which
offered to Gambetta the opportunity of revealing
himself as the most hopeful and formidable adver-
gary of the Empire.
Az the crave of Quinet several discOurses were
uttered in accordance with the French custom.
Victor Hugo spoke in eloquent laudaton of the lit
erlry patriotic, and manly worth Of his fellowexile;
NJ Brisson, President of the political group of Depu-
ties to which QuHet belonged, paid due eulogy in
earnest but studiousy moderate phrases TO the worth
and political integrity of the deceased NJ. Labor
laye speaking before the open grave of the lately
restored occupant of fellow chair in the College of
France, for the honest profession of historical
letters exemplifed in his colleagues (Quinet'sl
life and works, landed that good man
and the work of his single patriotic life
in words quietly, simply, apt and truthful.
After all these came Gambetta's tomb-speech. If
that lamentably numerous and respectable
class of so-called Intelligent" conserva-
tive bigots would only give what they are
pleased to call their minds the pains to read
and try to understand this last one of Gambetta's
many conservative dssourses, the honest of them
might struggle to partial conception of the actual
French situation. Gambetta, as political manager,
is the most sagacous consequently the most con-
servative, political party leader The kev-notes of
Gambettas speech were Cancellation and concession.
He recommended patriotic mutual yielding between
the bourgeoise and the fatally rising proletariat.
W. ii. III.