New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-04
MR. PdRNELL AT VICTOR HCGCS.

Paris Letter 10 The Pail Mall Gazette.
Hs9r beT anaorhs viii PROBABLY be issued
his eghteth birthday, which PARIS intends TO ceie-
brate with high and universal festvity. The W,
pressOrs and tho Oppressed will be the title.
met at his house yesterday evening Mr. Parnell and
three other Home Rulers. who had been introduced
the night before to the poet bg Rochei3rt anu VIII.
him ana some intimate friends of the Hugo family,
invited to dinner. Mr. Parnell before Vcior Hugo IS
sues his manifesto, is to state in writing the bIlet he
holds from the Irish people. At first the Roman
Illustr0us Octogenarian, who did not WISH 10 sue
| in that country with party-the: GlerlGai
enemy of light and liberty. However, when II was
explained to him that Roman Catholicism had no
part IN the strugee wolch rxfqHVey a a ,s az
bet ter, SOcialistlc-Oblact, he was brought round
When his compassion aroused by the recital Mt
Okelly gave Of lrclands wrongs and present dis-
ress The great poet entirely gained over TO the
IRISH cause, and he cast from him the idea that ad
been to HIM hindrance. After the greater numner
of his guests had left, he sad Il remove alto
gether from my mind the religious bearings or the
Irish question. pronounce VITA all my heart Tor
Ireland, which is oppressed by England; for poor
serfs against the descendants OF Norman and
English cOnquerors for justice against law; for the
law of good against the laws of interested and I'M
just men,"
The dinner party was made mp of fifteen persons.
Messrs Parnell (who speaks French WELL bnt not
fuentlyl and OKelly 'who rs as much at home IN
this language az in his OWN had the places OF
honor. Messis Dillon and Egan were with them
The French guests were Anatole de la Forge, who
German invaders in 1870. MM Rochefort, Lockroy
aud gentleman whose name did not catch, but who
was of opinion that nation OF artists. poets ora-
tors and dramatsts lie feared the lrlSh were, not
predestned to live a separate lite from England.
This opinion he expressed to me in the drawing
room. Mr.. Parnel wore evening dr, s.; his other
IIbernian friends did not; neither sd the
Fienchmen, with the exception OF Rochefort;
who was in very fashionably made clothing and
Il really charming mood. At dinner lie gave, for
the entertainment Of the Hugo children, with whom
he sat the whole evening and who appear to be III
the closest sympathy with him, adrOl account o ms
escape from New-CaledOnil which greatly ucklrd
the rest Of the company. To have seen INN last
night amable witty harmiessy playful IN his
mirth, and so thoroughly weil-bred 1t would never
have occurred to any one unacqnanted Wiia ante
cedcnts that he could ever BE- foul nohed. He bears
an odd resemblance 10 Lord Byron. RuchelOrts
face is Byrons stripped of fl, s'. ana with the mus
Giles and nerves. which are all alive and constantly
III action. The eyes admit of comparison 10 the
empty orbits of q skall with electric lights b' mud
them. Iu TIL drawing-room ROchci0rt sat on sofa,
with Jeanne Hugo twhOsc mother was Close to her
nesting under his arm and Georges on his knee.
MIR. Parnell is very good listener. Thought he
looked anxious. The after-llnncr conversation
between him, the other Home Rulers, Anatoc dc Ia
Forge aud the iustrOuS host took place on the
hearthrug in the drawlng-rOOln They all stood and
the poet whose carriage was erect, and whose ap-
peaTance and voice showed unimpared vitality had
his back to the mautcplece, against corner OF
which Parneil. the talest mar III the room, leant.
He paid the closest attention to all that Victor Hugo
said. OKelly and AnatOe de In Forge prevented the
debate-for debate it was-ir0m Tagging. Victor
Hugo seemed to think that through ireland Social
istic ideas would find their way into England, To
whom, III so far as she was not "a opprcsSor he
wished happiness and prosperity. llc several times
hoped that the Irish would not spoil their cause,
whch he was satisfied was Just Que, by Vl0"rct-
"A mode of action dISclanied by all The Home Rulers.
who SAID that III coming 10 hun Tor help they showed
the world that they relied uron moral force. lie
poet replied OCCASION that true IDEAS were
the sovereigns Of the world, and that brute force
could not prevail against them.