The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-02-22
VICTOR HUGO FIT SON STECLE.
Lecture by Gaston Deschamps af Yale
 Last Evening.

Last Evening. The university literature lecture on "Victor Hugo ct son Steele" was deliv cred in French by M. Gaston Dechamps of the Paris Temps last evening at the Art school.
 MT. Deschamps impressed his audi ence throughout his lecture by most fascinating style of delivery. He was very intelligible, his enuncation being especially clear and his style simple. The readings, also, with which the lec- ture was interspersed, were effectively
 rendered.
 He was introduced by President Had
 ley and responded cordially, expressing his pleasure at finding himself in the Studious atmosphere of Yale.
 In opening his subject he dwelt par
 ticularly on Hugo's early years, in or
 der to show their effect on the deVel-
 opment of the great novelist's powers
 of expression. From his fifth to his
 twelfth year he dwelt with his parents
 in Italy and Spain. To these years of his life Hugo never tires of alluding,
 and the scenery and circumstances in
 which he lived made an impression upon HIS ulluu WHICH lllo leieCi NiieiAi5o fully reveal. The lecturer showed the influence upon Hugo, of Chateaubrland, who gave him much of his colorlng ln words and phrases, also his reverence for the architectural past of France, shown in the Odes and Notre Dame de Paris.
 But for all his varied powers of ex-
 preston, Hugo is not simply stylist. He goes further than that; his novels and poems contain reflection or the national life of France. In his poetry, which Is the most varied and attractive
 of the French tongue, he helped to bulld up the Napoleonic legend. Successlve volumes of his verse contain one or more poems in praise of Napoleon, un- til finally he uses the elder Bonaparte in contrast and reproach to the young er His hatred of Napoleon III was de- scribed, and detailed account of
 Hugo. the statesman, in the poet was given. aEEt.
 MT. Dechamps said that many might
 suppose Hugo, on account or his many
 political works. was merely poet or
 political life. This is, however, far
 from the fact He Is above all the poet
 of individual life. An extensive view
 in Hugos work shows his delight in
 painting the domestic side of life. In
 his tender words he reflects the past,
 his youth. his ambitions, his friends,
 and personal sorrows. In the last years
 of his life family trials, the death of his
 wife and sons, had left to him only his
 grandchildren, in whom his whole af-
 lection was centered, out of which af-
 lection he wrote his humorous poem on
 'The Art of Being Grandfather"
 From the "Odes!' hardly year passed
 by without a song to the pleasures of
 the quiet fireside.
 MT. Deschamps concluded by showing the lesson which Hugo offers to the twentieth century in that he drew his material for literary work from his own life and national surroundings. Mr. Deschamps said that he was particular ly fortunate in being able to present this thought in America, because here the material existence of the nation is so strongly perfected. and that there is no reason why we should not now pro- duce a poet such as Hugo was for France to crown and glorify our own national existence.
 During his stay in America M. De- | schamps will lecture before the Cercle | Franchise of Harvard on Modern | French Drama" He intends to travel and will return to France some time in May f :, M. Deschamps was born at Nelle, [ Deux Sevres, in 1S61 In 1885 he was received as 8 fellow of the University of Paris, and was sent to L'Ecale Fran caise at Athens, where he devoted him. self to archaeology, explosing several regions in Asia Minor. He began his literary career by writing for the Jour nal des Debais. On his return to Paris he joined the staff and later became editor. In 1892 he was ap- pointed head of the cabinet, but soon to his literary activity, suc- ceeding the late Anatale France as lit- arary critic of I,e Temps.
 M Deschamps has published several works of note, including his archaeolo- and "Sur les Routes d'Asie." There is ! volume on "Morivaux" in the series of Great Authors of France, and Les Hommes ct Les Livres' about different authors and their works. He has writ .en also novel of contemporary Par sian life called "Chemin Fleuri" and book on the socialistic movement "La Malaise de la Democratic"
 During his stay in New Haven M D. B. Reed