The Dickinson press., 1888-04-28
"THE MARSEILLAISE."
SONG AND AIR THE INSPIRATION
OF RoUeET DE LlsLE.

Birth of Giant Force More Mighty
Than Cannons anl Ba, ,oncts-Orisin of
the Famous Song-Its Effect on the
Army.
On April 20, 1892, the national assembly of
France voted for war with the emperor of
Austria. Ii was a solemn noiu.at, for it
was the ol~...iig OF Il struggle which was to
last for thirty Years; il struggle in which
France. single handed would have to con-
tend against the armies of i.nr,pe Iii reason
had been alone consulted, there seemed no
hope of success.
Strasburg, in the month Of April, 1892,
was in Il condition typical of most of the
great towns throughout France Its streets,
its squares, We're filled with people of llascs,
but chiefly with Young men The bells were
toiling, and mothers an,l sisters Were. hurry
ing to the churches, for the dread boom of
cannon was heard at Intervals Blu, the new
hope, the new faith, rendered the young full
OF joy and fetes and hanqucts, singing. ell
hracing and han,lShaking We're the order of
| the day.
The mayor of Strasurg entered with all
his heart into the popular feeling. and on the
day after the Vote for war he entertained
came /, young man from Frlncl!v Cum,e,
named Rou5et de lIsle Born al i.t,ns -le-
Saulnier, i'll he Jura the son OF a h;lrstcr
connected with the provincial parliament,
we'll educated. and already known as Il poet
and musician, this young man of u repre-
senttd the ardent and generous impulses that
distinguished the Youth around him. Mayor
Dirtrichs nicces and some other .Alsltiul
I,,1t l,,,
siasin of the gathering. The wish was ut
tered that some poet might be inspired to
expires, in Il national som, the intense feeling
which ut the moment made France II people.
The host turned to Rougrt de Elsie am. urged
ent Joined i'll the appeal.
There Is more than one account of the cir
custa:."rs which attended this request. but
note i, preserved III the Bibliothcque Ma
tionalc at Paris, written by NJ Dc!aburrc, a
friend ot Rouget de l'Isles, which is said to
give the facts us narrated on the poets own
authority:
M Dietrich appealed to him to com,.,se
both words and music of the song required
All c"nrGrycd i'll the request. and about an
honr before midnight lie returned home, and
finding his violin on his bed he took it up,
requested to do he began playing upon the
upper strings for Il flgue for the air Be
levins, himself to have found it, he inlme,li-
a'ey composed the words. Trusting entirely =
tp memory, and not committing anything to
paper, he went to bed. The next morning,
rising at q, he fortunately recollcctcd both
music and words. He took them himself to
NJ Dietrich, to whom he submitted it, and
who was not 4 little astonshed at its very
prompt Inspiration. He was in his garden,
and after Il cursory perusal of the song he
said: Let us go intG the drawing room, that
| may try your air on the piano. He was
struck with its beauty, aroused his wife, who
was still i'll bed, and directed that each Of
the guests of the night before should he bid
den to breakfast, as he had something of I'M
portancc to communicate to them All came,
believing thai he had already received news
Of blows struck in the war from Gems Luck
DER and Lafayette. He would not satisfy
ther curiosity n,he point until they had
oreaktasted. Then he sang the hymn heart
,ly, and il produced immediate admiration
Acrar,ling to Miche!et's version, some one
mad sad that Gallons should be the key note
Of tn" hymn; and NOW, as tie poet entered
the room, he came singing the strophe: