Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-26
A GREAT POET.
VICTOR HUeos PETE-sKETcH OF HIS
LIFE.
Poet, Dramatist, Politician and the Loved
of the People A Nations
Homage to Genius.
Pans. February 26. 1881.


literary and on-political world are entirely
absorbed with the grand fete to take place
tomorrow. The executive ability of all
capable and distinguished citizens of the
Capital has been called into requisition,
the different artists of the theaters at the
feet of Melpomene and Thalia are drawing
the grand poets thoughts, while all versi-
fcators, pretended and real poets, are busy
with their rhymes in honor of the event.
At the grand representation at the Troca-
! dero poem, by Theodore de Banville, will
be recited by Mr.. Coquelin, of the Theatre
Francais another poem, also addressed to
Victor Hugo, will be recited at the Odeon
Theater, composed by the poet Earnest
d'Heryilly, and at four other theaters the
same ceremony will take place, the poems
having been composed by poets more or
| less known. Then, on the corners of the
streets, pages of tender and harmonious
rhymes inscribed to the king of poets by
more popular bards are sold for two sous.
| The portrait of the immortal poet is to be
seen in all the shop windows, hung
around all the newspaper Mosques and
exposed in all the photographers etalages
on the streets and boulevards. In fact the
atmosphere seems filled with Victor Hugo,
around whom clings the incense of the
hearts of whole nation. This immense
| pilgrimage, now being organized to pay
devotions at new Mecca, does honor to the
better feelings and higher aspirations of
the French people. Grateful nations honor
their great men, and no stronger evidence
can be given of the more perfect develop
ment Of our natures than when we expe-
rience Just admiration for our real in
structors In virtue and wisdom.
VICTOR HUGo's FATHER.
The father of the great poet was at the
same time writer and a soldier. Joseph
Leopold Sigisbert Hugo, who was born in
IVA at Nancy and died at Paris in 1928,
volunteered in the army in 1889, and
fought his first battle with Hoche, became
an officer during the war of the Vendee,
and took part in all the campaigns of the
grand Revolution. At % years of age he
married the daughter of ship-owner of
Nantes, Sophie Trebuchet, and from this
union there were born three children, the
third, Victor Marie Hugo, born the Goth
of February, 1902, at Besancon, in the lit.
tie house which to. day is renowned. The
infant days of the great poet were exceed
ingly painful, for he came into the world
| feeble and delicate, and they even de-
SPARED of his life, but the devoted care of
| his mother, for whom he has always
retained profound veneration-succeeded
in conquering all difficulties. Captain
Hugo, called successfully to Paris. to Spain
and to Italy, took his family with him,
and the young Victor passed good part
of his childhood in sharing the rations of
his fathers regiment. In 1907 Sigisbert
Hugo was sent to Naples, where he served
under the orders of Joseph Bonaparte. 1t
was he who destroyed the bands of the
famous Neapolitan bandit, Fra Diavolo,
and this exploit earned for him the epau-
let's of Colonel He afterward followed
Joseph Bonaparte to Spain, and became
General of a brigade in 1909. During this
time Nine. Hugo came and established her
self at Paris in the Faubourg Saint Jacques,
in the old house of the Feuillantines, that
charming retreat buried like nest in the
midst of verdure, and of which the immor-
souvenir. 1t was there
THE YOUNG VICTOR
Received the first notions of that literature
which he was to radically transform twenty
years later. His first professors were a
priest, the Able de la Riviere, an old friend
of the family, and the General Fanneau de
Lahorie, former chef d'etat-major of
Moreau, an officer as brilliant and brave as
he was well educated and intelligent. The
General de Lahorie had been compromised
in Moreau's conspiration, and since 1904
he had been fleeing the Imperial police.
During three years he gave lessons to the
child, which were never forgotten but,
discovered in 1911 by the Emperor's spies,
he was arrested and thrown into prison.
He remained there until the 9th of Octo-
Der, 1872, the day on which the Republican
General Malet came to take him out SO as
to employ him in his audacious conspira-
ton. Called some days later before the
council of war at Paris, thirteen of the in
voluntary accomplices of Malet, among
whom was the General de Lahore, were
condemned to death and shot In the plain
of Grenelle with the heroic conspirator
General, who made to the President Dejean
this proud answer ''Who are your &C.
completes "The whole of France and
yourself if had succeeded"
HISTORIC REMINIscENCE.
In the year which preceded the tragical
end of General Lahorie, Nine. Hugo re-
paired to Spain with her children. Gen
eral Hugo was then Governor of three
provinces and inhabited Madrid. He was
very much appreciated by Joseph Bona
parte, who one day asked to see his son
Victor. Before taking him into the royal
presence the father instructed him to an
swer Yes, SIRE" mo, sire," and not
Z" Yes, monsieur )" but the King, on taking
familiar manner, caused the little boy-of
only nine years-to forget his lesson and
answer him Yes, monsieur, No, mon
sieur," in spite of the signs of the
General, who endeavored to remind
him of his instructions. Joseph Bona
parte was, however, not in the least
offended, and tapping the child Familiarity
on the cheek, dismissed him, while he re.
marked to the father that the boy was in
teresting and would one day be one of his
pages, along with his brother. Victor
Hugo, in fact, grew up for the court OF
Spain his father had been made Count Of
Cifuentes and of Siguenza-the names of
two victories. Victor was placed in col.
lege of mobiles and spoke Spanish. And If
the monarchy of Joseph Bonaparte had
lasted, if the colossal empire of Napoleon
l. had not crumbled away, Hugo, grand
d'Espagne and Spanish poet, would per-
haps have forgotten France. This voyage
TO Spain left strong Impressions on the
imagination of the young poet. He visited
the cloisters, the churches and the palaces
of Madrid, Burgos, Segovia and other
cities, with his mother and father, who ex-
planned the architecture to him and re-
counted the history or legends of each
monument. It is to that are attributed
his first works, whose subjects are all
Spanish. Near the end of 1912, the affairs
of Spain becoming complicated. Mime.