The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-01


horizon Of the artist and the patriot was at the
widest most Of his work was yet to do and thus
il Is NOT Surprising the domestic affections
should hayc claimed less space upon his page
than we can now seo they held i'm his heart.
since the grandfather who horr speaks to us
is Victor Hugo. w. Should expect the volunie to
sun M all the Impressions. memories. mud tx
r'riDnNs; all tn phNntDus. smilin-s va s'irhrA,
all ihe hope and the dis n"aantmcnt which may
abide In the miui Of one who has soon and a,-
"mphshed mu' h Accordingly ia Whatever
KY his verso ID pitched. however ontln or
iriNlNl the text may seem. w. ar' presently
brought back to the solemn drama OF human
exist ncc--to the problem which a- hc has said
energies from the enigma Of the cradle to Gull
inmate in the enigma of the STROUD which bee
Sins with a smile and les continued in % sob.
The meditalion-. Ltn .i's. visions into which w.
enter are all int ns'ly .rught with Hugos
characteristic SPIRIT yet ba .uuss the author is %
rrcat poet. the rcslcr O Us m them ia li't,e
cd his own individuality. and sco- reflected thc
very tlou-h bits with which. surveying the dawn
oia younger life, hs has looked back over his
own.
The first part Of tn pres Mt volume soems 10
have been produced at Guernsey during the
poets exile. Al t,is Time his grandson George
Wa not tllrcc yours. and tac little girl Jeanne
hut iltrcn months OH. Oncdly In summer the
children roouttownli with grandpara-.jcaunc.
however being Ia the immediate charge OF
Gcorgc, WHO, W. are assured. It's % perfect little
man. such young girls as Jeanne already
occupy his mind. and lac mover tiro. of admir-
ing her dlninuiiNe rosy fingers. and contrast
INK thom with h.s own stout n.,-. which have
battlcl some thr'r years with tine world. Never
thclr-s. Master George is not unconscious OF
h, mas ulne advautag - he viii point out
now and then to the pa--er--by tue curious tact
that Miss Jeanne cam only croep. while he him
seli moves with "a firm Stride and he * likely To
shake his head with an air of critical di-ap-
provd when lhe young lady thrli-ts "a I'm GER ina
her mouth. George is the guardian of this Ill.,
tcsoNcr ign, but hersuhc.t and suyr iSl grand
papa. On another OCCASION. When she is shut
up in Nrk closet Tor soue grave doreii,tipn.
TIE old man goes st"ataiy To- IN" chamber of
pon1nro and slips % pot Of -v"ctmouis through
tue door-a proceeding which naturally pro-
Nokc- r'monstruuce from those domestic poN-
or- VINO uphold the public ordrr and security.
Jeanne often so Is 90 sinrp with hor lifIn hand
tiehtly clut'uing one Of prandpapn'S Ing -.
This les the moMnnt thr latter chooses for road
ing conservative newspapers. which. a- "a rule.
ar" not accustomed 90 srrUt Victor Hugo with
much Difference. Ono n4nuate- perhaps. that
the author would h'nn unpleasant man To- meet
at night in a dark place; another roeites the
atrori1us circumstances unlar whiri the poet
demolished tho Louvre ami put the hostages To-
death. third suggests that this alleged incen-
dHry, poi-on"r, md assassin might have turned
out less sinister parsonage If the Emperor
Napoleon Ill. had dcigncd to make him a Min
i-tNr. While the Bouapartist lnokas are thus
splitting on the majestic exile. his grandcnild
sleeps; but as IL the dreamer brsou.ht him 10
bonr and TO forbear he feels tho soft pressure
Of Acr hand.
When times have changed and n now France
rises on the ruins Of the Empire. graudpapa
TAX, $ his babies To- Paris and muhcs known To-
them that place OF wonders. the Jardin dos
| Pluutes. We aannot wonder that the sweetest
idyI- in this volume should have been fash-
| toned in this same garden. We oan seo the aged
| poet leaning on his cane. and wui'hina tho fear
less motions ol his nnocents. while between the
/ hur-. behind which crouch the types of cruel
/ n-tin rs. they 'n-- po-ies and -Wc"tmoni-. and
/ while the Joyous tinele of their laughter blends
| strangely with sulicn roar. h.g with wrath rand
/ with rebellion. Nur are W. surprised that.
| pen 'rHtcd 10y the poignant contrast thus pro-
/ sep. :, anl lon-.ns tn r,uliu,t ST." seeming in-
equity of naiurr. ace should have been led tp rc-
pro iur- in "a passage oi singular hcnuiy the old
theory Of the Reconsideration # souls.
What, ho says, il the antique conjecture, the
I wild dream OF Cluldsan maeiuns. of Horncs
/ anil pyihasorl-. hai after all. SOME grouud-
/ wuIk of lnt, Nhut 10 myth 90 Tanfalu- did
p iui figure nm uwlnl r"Nity--the anguish of thee
brute condemned to 1--we in the presence of hu-
manity And were 10 true that these crampcd
skulls. lntt ned forchoad4. distorted and vacant
TEXTURES nte lut the sombre masks of "a de-
/ thrnucd iut,l' g,urc-if these beings lruf with
/ I'm tAe tomb Of the hcstial Gppctitos and strain
/ INK with groans inartlcdlatr to Interpret their
I torn ut oour ear. were. indeed. th" spirits II
I the dann' i. cAplutn- On an earth winch IL To-
them hell, th" .riIIe- of an earlier oX i-t, u.-
then with what 10. Fable SURPRISE with what "a
shNcr Of awakened hope must tlrsr out.a-i- If
creation. for-ak' co. God and abhorrcI OF man.
hear lli al once beside their prison bars "a peal
Of ohllrens voicc-l
When a grandfather calls himself Victor
Hugo-is. in other words. not only a poet but "A
patriot-he will not foreetamid his rartnro- and
visions to ALI word Of sober monition. lie
would not haN the Young recruit, OF the future
begin as he began, with the worship of false
gods; and. th"rei re-, in the last section of this
volume. under thrAoadins. " Err the little ones
TO- '..d when they an. big hc tells his grand
children their duty, toward France ni-t. and
n,Nt toward humanity In the superb burst of
i"rvor and un-hak "a con-tnu y. eul tlrl
" IHtrie.' he bids them show that their gran J.
father Wa not oithu-e who. scciue ru0iur- loul
il for duy. lose heart and confidence iu tlIe
right. Neither wis his faith In ill. futAnrluud 40
all disturbed because 100 tine rrnuN ol events a.tn
had dealt il another i.t ia more l,fpl li.-la-h.
In "a" record oi the last hundred goul. rou
| come oft.ueg upon am Au-ffrllU thun % Mat,r-
/ loD But the hcuiguuut .urit of the - nd-irn
poet cares mot Co. flourish in these stflpurs
names Whirh arc 30 many rcOraul- 81 b.. e.. t.
national hate, but socks To- ln-tll wider Synllll-