Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-08
ifeatfe affaIt 5iten leads to ssfitts diplo-
matte complications Tie result Of the
affair will be watched with interest.
THE PANTHEON.
sketch of the Last Eesting.Piace
of the Great Victor Hugo.

The Journal Official of Paris publishes
a decree ordering the burial of Victor
Hugo's remains in the Pantheon-the
Church of Sainte Genevieve-which is
henceforth dedicated to the burial of
great men, 1t will be interesting to re-
cali a few of the vicissitudes through
which the monument has passed since its
foundation.
twas begun in 1756, under the direction
of the architect Suffiot. The edifce was
destined in the beginning to replace the
old Church of Ste. Genevieve, which
threatened to fall from decay. In 1894
Louis XIV. laid the first stone OF the dome,
a bold creation to which Sufflot owes his
celebrity. The work dragged, however,
owing to repeated obstacles, and when
the revolution broke out in 1889 it was
still unfinished.
The edifice, therefore, was not conse-
Grated to Catholic worship when the con-
stituent assembly devoted it to the burial
of illustrious dead, placing on it the fol-
lowing inscription: "Aus grands hommes
Ia Patrie reconnaissance" Besides Mira
beau and Marat, Voltaire and Rousseau,
the honors of the Pantheon were accorded
during the revolution to Lepelletier, OF
| Saint Fargeau, and Barra and Viala.
In place OF the shining cross, cut by
! Conston, Moitte represented on the front
son, the figure of la Patrie or Country dis
tributing her rewards, a design that in
spired David in the group OF illustrlous
men who adorn the tympanum. Other
sculptured groups were placed beneath
the yestibule, A statue of Fame was to
surmount the cupola. For that it was
necessary to change the summit OF the
lantern. The traces of the work, begun
for this purpose bat never finished, are
| yet seen.
Napoleon, after having the body OF
Marshal Lannes placed in the Pantheon,
again become the church of Ste. Gene
We've, ordered this church to be used for
the burial Of senators and other dignitaries.
After the restoration the remains of Vol
taire and Rousseau were removed by
night from the ediiice and thrown into a
hole near the Blevre Moitte's fronton
and the group of republican as relief,
were also removed and lay for long time
in shed in the yard OF Henry ". These
acts of ionoclasm were palliated by the
representation of the apotheosis OF Ste.
Genevieve, by the painter Gros, under
the vault OF the second cupola.
The resolution OF July, reviving the
law of 1701, restored the Pantheon TO the
destination intended by the constituent
assembly, and replaced on it the original
dedication. But no great men were bur
led within it. The magnificent fronton of
David alone recalls the memory of that
restoration, for the bronze tables whereon
the names of the citizens killed during
the days of July, 1880, were engraved
have disappeared. The government of
! King Louis Philippe caused the group
and bas-reliefs of the revolution to be re-
placed, and added thereto a group repre-
senting Ste. Gerevieve arresting Attila,
! by Maindron.
The Republic of 1S48 made no change
! in the Pantheon. The celebrated physi-
clan, NJ. tcucauX, arranged in the middle
OF the edlice an apparatus that visibly
! demonstrated the movement of the earths
rotation. In December, 1851, decree.
signed by Fortoul, reaffirmed the royal
order OF 1880, that is, took away the Pan
| theOn from the great men and restored it
a second time to Catholic worship. A
community OF chaplains with dean was
shortly afterwards appointed for service
! therein. 1t is this decree of 1851, which
was still in vigor, that President Grevy
has abolished TO return to the condition
of things existing under Louis Philippe.
/ The Pantheon, as it is popularity known,
| is built in the form of a Greek cross and
! is 500 feet long and 276 broad The dome
is 272 feet high and is crowned by Ian
/ tern. The summit Of the lantern is 800
/ feet above the level OF the Seine, and
about 470 feet above the level of the sea.
! II TOHriPr DIES ,StDtS- T11js