The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-10

tcfme0 IL. ana In MAY NO uNttFtu n pOWtftHt
plea In favor OF universal suffrage. In July he
opposed the revision OF the Constitution, and
congratulated the French people on having
laid the first stone OF that immense edince
which would yet be called the United States Of
Europe" This rhapsody was decried by Mont
alembert rs absurd. and events were to Justify
the criticism. In August Of the same year the
Peace Congress hold at Paris was opened by
Victor Hugo. In February. 1861. he must have
already had forebodinRs. for he opposed the
grant demanded by Prince Louis Bonapnrte.
The Prince. on his return from exile. had gone
to see Victor Hugo. and said to him In presence
Of the Academicia Saint Priest: Why should
I attempt to be Napoleon over again Why,
IL would be worse than ambition. 1t would
be q crime. Why think me a madmanf l am
not q great man. and shall not follow in the
path OF Napoleon; but l am an honest man.
and when the republic becomes n reality i shall
pursue the course Of Washington" Later
on. Victor Hugo visited the Elysee palace
four time. but he eventually OWNED the con-
spiretor In the President. and was on his guard.
II Is well known what energy tho poet exhibited
during the coup d'etat OF Dec. .. 1851. The
soldiers have strapped on their k nnpsncks: the
batteries are made ready: IL there Is fighting II
will be terrible." observed Col. Charras.
There will be fighting" Hugo replied. You
have proved that Colonies can write like poets;
II is for poets now to fight like Colonels." He
took 800 francs In gold. gave all the other
money Mt his disposal to his wife. and when she
said, What are you about to do ~ he answered:
My dutyI' do IL" she replied. embracing
him. IL was Victor Hugo who. on Dec. 2. die
tated to Baudln the proclamation outlnwing
Bonapartc; the next day he found hIs fellow rep.
rescntativ- dead In the Faubourg Saint Antoine.
For his own head a reward Of 5000 francs was
~.--l
with friends. but when II was definitely known
that all was lost he abandoned Paris and France.
He arrived In Brussels on Dec. IL. and the next
day began THE History of n Crime" The
prescribed wore continually bringing 10 him the
necessary documents. The book was finished In
May, 1852, but was not destined to appear
until Oct. J.. 1877. and then, as a warning
AGAINST tho new outrage upon liberty contem-
plated by the DE Broglie-F ourtou reactionary
combination. His next work was Napoleon
tho Little" Meanwhile In France his name had
been erased from tht roll OF tho Paris Literary
Society. and now in Belgium a law Was framed
for his expulsion. Ho embarked at Antwerp.
crossed q corner OF England, and in August.
1882. landed In Jersey. In 1859 appeared Les
Chatiments." Touching this poem and the
great works that succeeded II. VI. Emile Belmont
aptly remarks that tho revolutionary food
which enRulfed Lnmartinc only served to tenn
per and test the iron which formed the sub
stance of HuRo's character. The Victor Hugo
OF exile Is as superior to the Victor Hugo
OF tho time preceding 1913 as Dante II
to Petrarch. Les Cha,iments' hears the same
relation to modern France that the Divine
Comedy bore TO tho 1taly Of the middle ages.
When asked ono day which of his books he
liked best Victor Hugo answered Les Chati-
ments." This masterpiece OF seven thousand
ltpaa attnh ~ N Eta.t. nVtIA ,At ,Il....
with all sorts Of tones, now epic. now lyrical.
now punRont rs n caricaturc. embodied the pro-
test OF n nations conscience against the unjust
DEGREES OF Fate. We are tod thai, when tho
book appeared. the Empires, EuEtnio asked for
II, turned II over, and. throwing II from !cr In
anger. cried What have we done. then. to NJ.
Hugo ?" what haze they done TO me ," re.
Piled the poet. when these words werc reported
to him: they have done this 10 me: they have
committed the cd OF December" Later IN. the
purpose OF Les ChRtiment>" was Explained in
Les Quatre vents lie rfsprit." Therein he said:
At times II Is a duty to blazon hiieou' deeds:
At times n iur.d Ore should light imperial crimes;
And hence The chnstiscments," this book of mine
which feeds
The hate OF honest hearts.
Although weary. sick. condemned and aban-
doned. oppressed with bitter sorrow. n prey
to all kinds OF cnlumny and treason. 10
all kinds OF moral and physical suffer
ing. nevertheless. during his eighteen years
of exile, Hugo never grew faint-h eartcd;
never did the thought Of taking a step back
ward gain access TO his mind. He was cx-
PEELED from Jersey rs he lad been from Brus-
sells. Then he found n refuge IN Guernsey. He
was dwelling there when Swinburne dedicated
ono OF his finest COMPOSITIONS ITO the greatest
exile, and. therefore. tho greatest man of
Franco" Mazzini wrnte Ia him "ItaIy IA liam.
Ing to the side OF kings: raise her up" His an
swcr to the Italians was: "Scorn the offers
that they pretend to make TO YOU: be on your
guard, ana keep your faith. Distrust kings,
trust God" Thereupun he published Les Con-
temptations" 70 the Bonapartist amnesty. by
which he might have prohied. he opposed this
declaration: when liberty shall return, I will
return" And then he published the FIRST series
of LA Legende des Sieclcs." Recalled one
day to Jersey on the occasion OF tho Carl.
baidinn subscription. he snld. with u pro-
phctic impulse: Should the upholders Of tho
unjust cause ever One hither vanquishcd.
receive them as you have received us. Mis-
fortune is n sacred form OF right. And. under
stand me well. from those who may be van
qu!shcd | except none" lie interceded with
the United States for John Brown. lie appealed
10 Belgium to spare those who were &C ned
to death for the Charleroi affair: seven were
saved. He founded in his own house u weekly
dinner for poor children. On the appearance OF
Les Miserables." which was At once translated
into all languages, and was recognized as the
Bible OF tho people. the European press offered
a banquet to the prescribed author in brussels.
The exile proposed this toast TO the press: THE
living clarion that sounds the awakening OF the
nations" Eleven years ago. he said. You
saw mo depart from among you, almost a young
man. You find mt now grown old. My hair
has changed. but not my heart" Presently no
succeeded In having Rosa!ie DoIzc rehabilita,ed.
At Geneva he wrote Death to DEATH" On An
appeal from ~Iler2cn. whose letter contained the
words. Help, o mighty brother! Give us tho
watchword OF civilization" no summoned tho
Russian soldiers to show themselves men.
VIII.
OF Les Contemplations." which was pub
lished In Paris In 1855, tho author said Tween
ty.five years are In this book; II might be called
tho memories OF q soul" Nowhere else have
spiritual emotions been fitted by Victor Hugo
to expression 30 nearly perfect. Each one of
his other literary manifestations Is represcnted