Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-01-25
Louis RIznc,s Voice.


Louis EIanc's Voice.
Edward King, writing from Paris,
says: Those who have never heard
Louis Blanc address an assembly can
Ill understand the remarkable and pc
culiar charm Of his manner. Itseems
almost incredible that a man Of such
inferior size, such lilIiputian proper
tons, should have been able to fill
great editices with the resounding
harmony Of his majestic speech, until
he literally made himself forgotten
and seemed like a voice # N some
hidden oracle. His control Fer him
self was no less remarkable than his
power over others when he chose to
exercise his astonishing gift Of oratory.
| I once heard him tell Of the curious
mishap which befell him during the
first few days Of his exile. when he was
landed in London, broken in hopes and
pretty well broken in fortune. In the
great metropolis he found plenty Of
hands outstretched in sympathy, and
among them the hands Of masters like
those of Thackeray, the famous novel
ist; and several other men prominent
in literature and science persuaded
Louis Blanc that he should be brought
out before brilliant Company Of Eng
lishmen aud Engishwonen, and that.
after he had shown the elite of London
scholarship what his gifts we're, there
would be no doubt Of his finding am
pie employment for them.
II accepted he said, "with much
pleasure. / had no fears that should
be able to do myself reasonable justice,
and ] really needed the opportunities
which such a presentation was thought
likely to offer. But what was M
CONSERVATION on"-and here Louis Blanc,
when telling the story, leaned back il:
his chair and laughed one Of those
merry, contagious, long-drawn, deep
laughs which were peculiar to him
self-"to find that on the morning
Of the day Of my first appearance /
was visited with an extinction of voice,
caused by hard cold caught in the
| treachercus climate. Here was mis-
fortune which l had not dreamed Of.
/ steamed myself, took hot vinegar,
saw a physician. spent the morning in
agonizing experiments. and finished
BY going to see my good friends Of the
lecture committee, who looked as blue
as I did when they heard the news.
n. But you must appear, they said.
4 1t will never do. We have summoned
the best people in London. You must
show yourself, and we will make the
necessary apologicsyfor you
ITO this 7 naturally agreed, and
more dead than aliFe. ! found my way
into the hall in the evening, and
mounted to the platform where my
committee was in full force. After a
little delay one Of the celebrities who
had consented to patronize me, stepped
forward, and, with considerable confu-
sion, announced that I was suffering
from a severe cold, which might rem
der portions Of my speech inaudible,
and that lie begged the indulgence Of
the audience for the honorable gen
tleman."
AT this point in the story Louis
Blanc laughed again; then, changing
his manner, and with a.quizzlcal look
in his eye, said:
IT crawlcd forward to the edge Of
the platform, and stood for moment
eyeing the distinguished Britons,
doubtless a most piteous object my
self. In the effort which / made to
whisper Q few apologies something
seemed to break loose in my threat.
and my voice unclaimed itself.
felt flood Of enthusiasm in my face,
and do not know how long l talked,
but l am quite sure that 1 never
talked better in my life, or in louder
or irmer voice. From that moment
my reception in England was secure,
although at times + found it hard
work to get on