The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-05-28
BiograDhical.

The following brief sketch of this intel
lectual giants life-work will afford the
reader some idea of the immense activity of
his career of more than four score years
Victor Marie Hugo was born at Besancon.
Feb. 26, 1892, his father being a colonel In the
French army. From Besancon he was carried
to Elba, TO Paris, TO Rome and to Naples before
he was wears old In 1909 he returned to France
and received a classical instruction at a religious
house. The first volume OF his "Odes and Bal
lads appeared In 1872, and his tales Hans OF
Iceland and Bug Jareal" were written about
this time. In 1926 he pub ished a second volume
of "Odes and ballads, which exhibited change
in his literary and political opinions, and in 1927
he composed dram. Cromwell" In 1929 he
published his Last Days OF a Condemned
Criminal. the terrific interest OF which secur
ed an immense success. Nj. Hugo pre-
pared further attack on the stif and unnatur-
al style of French dramatic literature in his
Hermann, first played at the Theatre Fran
CATS Feb. 26. 1880, and which caused
a scene of riotous confusion. The Academy
went so far as TO lay a cause Of complaint
against his attempted innoy ations at the foot OF
the throne. Charles X. sensibly replied that -as
TO matters OF art he was no more than private
person Shortly after the revolution OF July,
1880, his Marion de Lorme. which had been
suppressed by the censorship under the restor-
alton, was brought out with success. lie Roi
sAmuse" was performed at the Theatre Fran
Gals in January, 1882. and the cay after its pro-
duction interdicted by the Government.
After publishing number OF dramatic pieces of
various merit he was admitted into the Academy
in 1S4l, and was created peer OF France by
Louis Philippe In 1919 he was chosen Presi-
dent of the Peace Congress- of which he had
been leading member. In 1852 Victor Hugo
went into exile ia Jersey, Guernsey. and else
where, and refused TO avail himself of the gen.
eral amnesty issued Aug. Is. 1859. On the fall
of the empire, however, he fastened back to his
native country, entered heartily into the repub-
hcan movement. and was returned TO the Ma
tional Assembly at Bordeaux, which he
soon Quilted in disgust sending, on March Q,
1871. the following characteristic letter 70 the
President. Nj. Grevy: Three weeks ago the.
Assembly refused to hear Garibaldi; to-day it,
refuses to hear me. i resign my seat" M.
hugo then went 10 Brussels, but the Belgian
Government. alarmed by his violent writings
and his ayowed sympathy with the Commun-
lists, expelled him from the country He then
sought refuge In the secluson of the little town
OF Vianden, In Luxembourg, where he composed
LAnnsee terrible keturning to Paris in
Ferre, Rossel, and the other Communists TO no
effect. At the next elections he was defeated
account Of this period of his career in "Actes ct
Paroles, published In 1872. He wrote much
after he quilted France In 1852 His satire Ma
poleon lie Petit appeared in Brussels in 1882;
Les Chatiments, at the same place, I'm 1858; and
CONCENTRATIONS" at Paris, in 1855 His fame
rests principally on hts -Notre Dame de Paris"
which has been translated into most European
LANGUAGES. and is known in English under the
title Of the Hunchback of Notre DAME" book
the Roman Catholic clergy never forgave him
for His semi, historical and social romance
guages. was issued at Paris, Brussels, London,
New York, Madrid, Berlin, St Petersburg. and
Turin the Same day, April 3, 1862. This was
speare, not likely to add TO his reputation. His
last novel, "L'Homme Qui Rit,- appeared in
1869. M. Victor Hugo was prolific writer. the
tale; aTucre1ia Borria," Marie Tudor" -Ruy
Bias. Les Burgraves," and Marion de Lorme,'
plays; and lie Rhin." book of travels. His
new series: Historic d un Crime" being an
account of the coup d'etat of Louis Maj o con:
lie Pape," poem; La Pitie Supreme" a
poem; Religions ct Religion" poem. which,
beginning like Les Chatimenta," in a tone OF
comedy and irony, reviews creeds and systems,
passes from catholicism to nihilism ard con-
cludes by an affirmation OF q thcism without
quatre vents de lEsprtt," 1881, poems; and
"Torquemada." dramatic poem 1857.