, 1875-01-17
MADAME NEURICE,
Funeral Grafton of Victor Hugo 1t
k1er Crave.
From H., .Netr Fort E1enino Fasf.

k1er EfaYcs
From II, -Sesp Fort E7ening Pnst. ..
An esteened CORES iaoadeat sends Us tbs fol-
loving translation VI tittor Hlgo's panegyrlo
upon Madame lIeurlce-" moved thare:o." 50 ha
writes, 'sby rage aad grief 1t the shockingly
m4ngled version from o London newspaper,
'hich IS beginning to go tho round OF the Amer"
1.-THE wife Of Paul Mcurice, the brilliant d,4yn-
asiss editor Of tho Rappek was followed to her
grave ut fere Iachaise on tho 14th Of November
by an immense cuncoursa OF tho peopl6 of Paris.
The following is = tIansl-tou, necessarily in
adequate, Of the Grafton uttered By Victor Hug 0
at the scaus Of intermeut:]
The womaa to whom wo como to pay the su-
p1eme tribute has honote1 hsr eex abe Wac
valiant and sweet; she had all the charms for
love, and all the strength for suffering. She
leaves behind her the companion Of her life,
Paul Meurice, a spirit luminous and proud, ope
Ut the noblest men OF our time. Let us bov
before this sacred tomb.
Witnessed their marriage. So pass the yesrs.
saw them both young, ahe so beautiful, he 90
law and before the law divine, and give th.!r
hands TO each other in hope and morning. saw
that antrauca Of two souls INTO love. which ia
the true entrance iuto life To-day IL 1t the exit
that We see? No: for tho heart that remains
continues to love. snI ths soui that haa lown
continues to live! Death ia another entrance,
not into mere lore, for the love boloW vas COM
plete, but into mora light
From that radiant hour Of th= b@zin-
ming, to the stern hon: whore ma are
tanned zach other. Lie. vha.sver It may
:bs. Is good, travelled tnus- She, admissible
woman, painter, musician, artist, had received
every gift and WAS made for every pride; but
ehe was, above all. proud of the reflection OF hia
tame upon herself; sho soox part in his sus-
which hailed him sne participated, smiling, in
those splendid o1ations at tia theatre uhere the
name Of Meurice was shouted amidst acclama-
tons and enthusiasm: she had the sweet PRIDE
the multitude, that se1:es OF works, st1o1g and
exquisite, which shall have in the literature Of
our age place OF light aud glory.
Then cams the times Of trial she accepted
them with etDiciem. LII our day the writer should
be At need comos1ant woe 20 tha talent be-
should be virtue. Paul Neurice la one OF thota
clear souls in whose depths IL seen duty. He
wanted liberty, progress, truth, and Justice. aud
he bora the Consequences. Thia Is why, one day,
he vent to prison. Hia wife compEshendad :hia
new glory, and IRON that day ahe, who TIL them
had been only good. became great.
Aud later, when disasters cana. wheE trial
took the proportions Of public calamity, she was
ready for every aouegatloa and every DEVOTION
The history Of this aSe has some never-to-bo-
forgotten days.
At times, in humanity, certain sublirnlty Of
the woman appears; IN the hours whe1 History
becomes terrible, one would say that her soul
seizes the occasion and reeks to give an exznple
to tlo saul OF man. Antiquity had the Ruman
woman the modern ages will have the French
woman. The siege OF Paris has shown all that
woman caa be dignity, 6rmnesa acceptance df
pr1vations galety in anguish Tho bottom Of
The soul Of tbs French woman is An heroic nix
turs of family and country.
The generous woman In this tomb mad Ill these
grsndeurs. havo been iaar guest in those tragic
days; ! have seen her. While her husband
lid bis double and rude task Of writer
snd soldier, she alao ross before the dawn. She
vent, while it wns yet night. III sho rain, IN tho
frost, her feet in tho snow, to wait long hours,
loofs of the butchers and the bakers, and shs
Drought us back food and Joy.
For the truest OF all joys is duty performed.
There is IN idoal Of woman In 1salah; shere 10
mother in Juvenal; these two ideals the women
II Paris have realized. They have had the cour-
go which Is moro than bravery, and she pa
ience which In more than courage. They have
hown, before peril, lntrepidaty and sweet
,esa. They gsre to the despairing combat
.nt the encouragement Of tie emile.
'ands, like their children, they wanted to strug-
'ls to tho last houts; and in tho face OF \ s=T-
20 enemy, under the grapeshot aud tie shells,
tndet The furious tlasE CT five month"; winter,
hey refused, even to tho Sene loaded, with
locks of ice. even to famine, eyen to death, tha
his Paris which mas produced such women aud
uch men. Let as 50 down upon our knees be-
orc the holy city Paris. by it's t1emepdous re-
iasance, saved France, which the dishonor Of
'arls would havs slain. aud Europe, which thu
eath OF France would hare dts5onot ed.
Let the beautiful soul, 1c.a away, but pres-
ut, who at tais momen: heats me, be proud
Il generations surround her coffin. From The
eight OF the unknown serenity she can see
round her ali these heatta full OF har, these
iends who g1o7fy her, t!.is husband who
lourns her. Her memory, At once sorrowful
nd enchanting, shall not Be enacad- 1t vii
xhten our twilight. A memory ia ray.
Let the Eteroal Soul in that high DWELLING
lace receive this immortal soul. Lffs IL
roblem; death is The solution. I repeat it. aud
in thus wish to end this farewell, luil e1
ope: the tomb is neither dark nor yoid. There
the great light. To that light let it bs par
tted the man who now speaks. to turn. He
ho. it may be said, no mora exists here below
be Whose ambitions are i'll nov in deAth-hAa
- siniatnt and subiime dazxla 1t ths ssunlcara
- fmnanss star, Godi