Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1885-05-24
VICTOR HUGO.

In hctlOn, In dramaClc literature
and in poetry he shone alike, and
his works have been translated into
nearly every language, 1t has been
said that it was worth ones while to
master French, to order to enjoy
Hugo in his native tongue.
Lies Miserables,'' his master
piece stands today at the head of
all fiction, and it will be a long
time before it will be toppled from
its pedestal.
One Of the charms of Hugo s
writings was his epigramatic force
and terseness, coupled with won
derful vigor of description APP
preached by no living writer. At
times he aimed only at grand eff
feet with no regard to detail, and
his pen seemed to have been guided
by frenzy of inspiration, from
which the reader sometimes re-
coiled in amazement.
His work in this direction has
been criticized by those, who, in
viewing the Bartholdi Statue would
scrutinize the hem Of the robe
through glass, never dreaming
that to secure the effect intended
it should be admired from a dis
lance. Yet, with all the great au-
theirs power for colossal effect,
he was likewise master of the most
delicate and minute detail, and
blended his pictures with exquisite
gradations of color.
Aboye all things, he hated in
justice in all its forms, legal, eclesi-
asticai and political, and no eye was
keener to search it out, and no
hand more potent to smite than
his. In all his writings he hurled
his thunderboldts at those condi-
tons of injustice and crime, and
his labor for the down -trodden and
oppressed was one of enthusiasm
and affection.
Through all his writings he
showed touching affection for
children. The scene where Val
jean introduces himself to the
child Cosette, by lifting her pail Of
water from her hand, and then res
cues her from the brutal inn
keeper, is one of the lasting gems
of literature.
At his birth, he was so weak and
punv, that priest was called to
baptize him, and the efforts of the
nurse were simply directed to keep
the Autter of life in his body un-
til the clergyman arrived. He as
tonished the attending physicians
by living, and from this weak be-
ginning came the man of Titanic
intellect, and who was hale and
vigorous at eighty. Hugos life
was singularly pure, and he reached
the age Of eighty-two with a spot
less personal record. Unlike most
writer's, time did not impair his
menta. vlgor, and in the sunset of
his life fame was still casting
wreathes at his feet, and the most
critical observer could point to no
deterioration in his work. Perhaps
his greatest fault was his egot:sm.
which was prominent feature Of |
his character. But this is not to
be wondered at. for he lived in the !
perpetual olor Of the incense which |
France delighted to burn before
him. The poetical, dramatic and
literary world worshiped him as a
god, and made the homage almost |
groyeling.
His first literary venture was at |
90, when he gave the world his |
Codes and Ballads" and Of his
dramas, "Lucretia Borgia" gave
him the first renown. Dabbllng in
politics, he incurred the displeas
ure Of Napoleon III, and was ban
ished to Isle Of jersey. Here he
wrote the satire, Napoleon the Lit
tle," and stung his enemy with the
famods epigram in which he men
toned Louis Napoleon as a man
who was neither the nephew Of |
his uncle, nor the father Of his
son." charge which many were
disposed to accept as literally true,
The latter portion of his exile was
spent upon the Isle of Guernsey,
where he wrote "Les Miserables."
In this he gave the account of the