New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-10
LIFE IN PARIS.
,1TER FROM ARsENE HOUssAYE.

A
PARIS, Nov. I've were dining yesterday at
Victor Hugos -Four OF us were believers and -FOUR
atheistsnot speaking OF the ladies' who were oil too
clever 10 he inhdes Victor Hugo OF course was among
the believers.
"To believe in God is to believe nothing" said Of
the atheists
"To believe in God IL believe everything" cried
Victor uug0 81" TO believe IN the infinite and IN one
Immortal soul will prove II to you
His face WA bright with heavenly halo You know
he was horn with the century. His face IL CROWNED
with white hair, but it ia tho volcano under the snow
His eyes shine like burning Goals his brow is arehed
like on Oympans; the is refined with distended
nostTiis the mouth Is aud smiling still iu OF val
liant teeth the chin finishes profile designed aitor tue
laws of artistic grammar 1t is well made head on
robust body. BY robust do not mean enormous lie mas
not the stature OF giant nor the t0rsoof Hercules but
he j. OF steel with no sign OF Old age about hm'
He has al agility, tho suppleuess, the case and grace
OF his best years. lie is enjoying his third or iouih
youth; 40 not doubt he viii see the century through
81 feel in my self" he continued, "the future life
am Ike a forest which has been more than once cut
down. Tho shoots are stronger and iiYcIef IMAM
ever. 1 AN rising, know, toward the sky The sun
shine IS head. The earth gives Inc it, generous
SAD Inn heaven lights me with the reflection of untnoEn
worlds You say the soul nothing but the resultant OF
bodily poweIs Why then 10 my soul the more luminous
when NY bodily powers begin 20 iaili Winter Is on my
head and eternal spring ia HY heart There breathe
a
Che roses at twenty years. The nearer alpOach tue
end tho palmer hear around Gle tle Immortal sym
phonos OF the worlds which invite me. ii Is marvellous
Yet simple II h. q fairy tao and II IS history. f0rh'u
century have been writing ny thoughts IN prose ana
verse; history, philosophy. drama, romance, TRADITION,
satire ode aud song,I have tried all But feel have
not said tn thosandtb part OF what in "hen 20
down TO the grave say like many others have
finished NY days work, hui cannot say have bnlsned
my Hfe' My Days work viii begin assin The aeAt morn
ing. Ihe tomb 10 not blind alley; IL L. tofpuShfre.
10 Gloves Oh twilight TO open with the dawn in-
prove oyeiy hour because love the world my father-
Land and breu,e the truth compclS rs II compelled
Yoltiire, that buulau divinity. Ny work 10 OIL! pegh-
ming. NJ moBuneut is hatay above its foundations
wo,id De eed 10 II m"anDg and mounting forever
The tsir., the infite Dhnity Hhat do you
say Of tlat, Iossicur, Athci,tsP
81 say you wonderful man"
81 am mol u wonderful man. ORGY my soul Ny soul
has it, destiny and ohey- unEno"n Laws
II obeys tine laws creation, SAID tba atheist III
you should suddeny have eadaoho, Night would cone
over your soul, aud yoa would ieei thai 1t "s ipe ere"
,ure Of you brain Here Tor Instance. Is the coffee
Ial. some a. do. his petty J9PaHc,r cup and you
blood ~ m Ia auckeued AMI your wi lNeu aud Tor an
hois on VII Lc n greater fooi u,aD ever"
Don't taxi such Ion-cnse NY witty hiend. ine'er
drink sonce champagne. Why do not those no t'he
th.sr slimIauts write either my verse OF M pr0icP
IL - because not vel Fashioned their
haiU-."
"phere have you." said yctor Hugo. g What Is ma
turoW
"Iis an o.,llt force" said the albeit
Then arc ia occu forcc., ti,ro only luminous
forces occult chao' tbs lGuinou. force h cod
Nm h an Infinitely ltlr copy Of God: this j. glory
enough Tor nan. sln man. invisible atom, drop
In he OCEAN . x ain 81 sand on H. shore. L:tr ~ au
lue tLs cod ~ me bccIu cau nlso hilus form " OF
~ culo- make book, which axe creations eau say
tuls without l,Astn'e Tor have ny more pride Than
cora .,-.i ia h red. no iuoic than tue 'u"b ora
VII ch ious iu IA. eI-il hymn am nothing
H,re nes Victor IIne0-au atom, a passing echo Il
n ,u, cloud wac ahich a,@ the shore am moth
lux l let me 1.-Two W iny lui,Uc lives; lot ue c1nih"
NY work y. nu; lci scale In cpuirY o,eS aI the
hilh,s aH The por. 81 The pfc- on tio pgoics Who
w -a that day. alter thousands o H'cens shall
not like an Of good vii. have conquered place /"
hs ptrnc council ri hit .oIaDle yIa whose name
l. GOdf
must admit thu, v,so' HUGO who siJ al , ia hi-
ardent and vivid speech. allowed htuc raiciy o.
app,nr I'll tbo oornt- vi hi- he. bat s'e !on 0m
il,., OF III spirit ~ liA Theory ~ ascension.
when b., 20 through ihr ils' 81 thc o..s le ha, set 20
,,., te strongest nIs appalled, 81 THE 1i.sHo under
ti1inr Aud these like tle iabicd Miu'in seem
a r,adS to cap fui rauOpy from 80" brain at 'np
orJIugo H., s,r,ks of then to ls riond- sr Al the,
v,rr ALREADY cyisicpcc. 80 WAY of ra-,me he whites
trs az every dcN. ode. lc-tlid "r huAg Thioh
s.c u,er,sl. iu Thought ,o drAp't'. ud 30 style lao
NOT Auov what ne .s sccp,ng for 10, ncy. world mt
know hni he viii enrich i' eilh nrny more na--
/ t-ipirer-.
A. hi. l,nrrr whore nc wa dakt'ug Victor Hugo
lid no perUlIs convince Che dihei'it hui he "hrmed
hof .ra rp,t thrir Ho'hincnr5- in the taoc OF hi,
,nin- Returning ion,c tDvurd ulduie ut. M tLs hour
Whom thf n,rina, ~ sitf- SINGING thor poauiaoi
harmon, ana light skc iiy ,cif anew, although Nis
on ,f tuD our believers Ca. DINNER tho etcii-i aneo
iion 81 Immortality.
Ti,sg d, an ,ichin4 u Goya which lac u'osr i'ln once
frightened iu ip ny hours OF aoHb ~ ir ina Wht'e h'
rpioseut, dead man 1i-ius She stone ~ h- grave az
,rr,,o on ~ wall ol sbc cemetery h0dg! hpid! Moth
ina-u word n,or terrible tin chat ~ par" o't. ti'
door Of Boll Nouinl ia dcnthl Anu.til"tion under
liz, rnvestuue "a door which closes and ""ons a." norc
. .ou ~ n,..br in trc darkness OF the tomb f. mo-
TINS - o,,i OF ,.oya', dead mnu tho last conclusion OF
oii,e.,ns Nothing bsy,nd tbo gruye-ncithcr sou nor
| i.lii, nor God.
lui have moi on thu,e whom you have lost also ai-ed
ths cover nj their greyrs say to YOU thnt Trey nave
! found Cod ana TINT they WHITING for your The
soul II IA. rhdinnce ~ God, said Christian ph's"
er I,,i thu ahcs. concludes that the soul does not
e>i,f. because th.re H. God. Do you know what
slicss- are Thes free thinkers, al the more free
b.,qusc they thnh al nil 4" hnve liberal pro-
! rr-.ion heJ profess atheism some oi tfem have no
illod HE ART ~ Zee thinking, as othos lrhih Hnehg
and negcr mud nddlcs learn The srt oil loving ana
never mud sweetheart, or learn uc ART OF RoNcthhtD
| and never get portfolio. They imiaie pobcnftos III
sp,,oue away everything aud putting nothing In its
usc, though Dc.cartc- did retain God and tho gospel
Dc.as.rt.s said thank. herctoye am These goitie-
r,. world hive trouble In proving then existence bt
this proeess Formerly atheism wac the privilege OF
few philosophers who had nsread Ipcufs but oil late
a ha- taken possession of those who 10 not road AT all
They ARE told that God IN creation Of men to Brighten
cbidron After msIy revolutions against the kings
Of mi, world seemed necessary to make on end Of the