VICTOR HUGO.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 119, 28 May 1885, Page 4

VICTOR HUGO.

France has just lo9t her greatest poot—the greatest geuius she has ever possessed since Voltaire—and I thought a sketch of tho life of Victor Hugo would prove interesting to tho numerous readers of the Star.

Victor Hugo was born at Besangon on tho 2Gth of February, 1802. His father, Count Joseph Leopold Hugo, enlisted in 1 Till in the French army, and was a lieu-tenant-general and a governor ofa province at the end of hi 9 career. His" mother, a partisan of the monarchy of divine right, took an active part in the Vendean insurrection, in company with Mesdames de Bouchamps and de la Itochejaquolin. After having gone through Europe with the Imperial armies during his childhood—after having viaited Rome, Naples, and Calabria—Victor Hugo came to Paris and commenced his education under the tutelage of General Lahorie. At the age when children merely learn to spell, lie was reading Tacitus and undergoing a high-class course of studies. In 1811 hia father ?ent him to the seminary of noblemen in Spain. A warm climate and a beautiful sky developed his inborn taste for poetry, and at ton yoars of age he watwriting poems. Later on, as hiH father wanted him to become a soldier, ho was sent to the Ecolo l'olytochniquo in Paris, whero ho studied mathematics, without, however, noglecting poetry, hia favourite pursuit. When fourteen ho composed a tragedy (Iriainme) and two poems. One year afterward ho competed for the prize offered by the French Academy for the best poem on" " The Advantages of Education." Tho Academy was co much struck with the richness of his composition and tho grandour of his viows that they would not believe ■so young a boy had written tho admirable work they had undor their oye«; but Victor Hugo camo with his cortiiicate of birth, and tho loarned company wore obligod to yield to the ovidenco and award him tho pri/.0. Count Hugo, who had always opposed hia son's poetic tendency, wus so much astonished at his succoss that he allowed him henceforth to follow tho bent'of his inclination. France lost a soldier by that compromise, but she gained tho greatest poet and tho doopost thinker of modern times. At 22 years of age, after having snnt to tlio •' Academic dcs Joux Flonuix"(Academy of L'ootry) of Toulouse several poems, ho was proclaimed Master of Poetry. He then published the first book of his " Odes and Ballads;" two novels, " Bug-Jargal" and "Han d'lsland;" and became the favourite poot of tho royal Government, and was associated with all tho colebrated men of tho Kestoration. Having won a prominent placo among tho literary worthies of France, ho thought of making a revolution in tho republic of letters. Long enough poets had been eubjected to tho conventionalism of classics ; it was tirno for men of talent to express their thoughts without constraint, without being Iho (-laves of rules which very often obscured their meaning; and holding views like these lio bccaino the launder of the "Romantic School," which inaugurated a now era in French literature. Under tho term of "Cenaclo" a now pleiod waa formed, of which Victor Hugo waa the leader. His followers induced him to entor boldly upon now linos, and ho commenced with "Cromwell," a powerful drama, which placed the poet in the first rank. In his preface he resumed himself by saying : "All that is in nature is in art: the drama is the result of a combination o(,tho sublimo and the grote6quo ; tho drama is the expression of modern times." " Cromwell" was followed by a groat number of poems and dramas, prominent among which were "Les Oriontales," poem, and "Mario Tudor," "Lea Burgravei?," " lluy Bias," " Lucrczia ]Jorgiu," "Ilcrnani," all dramas. Charles X. was asked to forbid tho performance of "llornani," but in reply to his courtiers Haiti: "1 do not know of any other right for mo than to have a scat in tho Theatre," and this magnificent drama was performed lor tho first timo «n tho 25th February, KS.'iO, on tho eve of tho Revolution of July, which was to ovorthrow tho monarchy of divino right. Tho historical novel, "Notre Dume do Paris," was published in 1831, and had an immonso success in Franco and abroad. In 1537, Hugo was made an ollicor in tho Legion of Honour, mid on tho third of Juno, 1841, tho French Academy, in spite of thoir projuilices, opened their doors to the great writer whom Franco worshipped. In ISIS he was created a Poor of Franco by King Louis Philippe. Snuii afterwards, tho Revolution of 184S broke out, and Victor Hugo, who had long sinco renounced tho monarchical prejudices

with which lua early education had imbued him. ontcred boldly upon tho path of progress. At tho general elections ho was returned a representative of the pooplo, and took his seat in tho National Assembly, where ho advocated tho causo of a wise and ciilightenod Liberalism. At this time, too, ho pronouncod a speech on tho abolition of capital punishment, which was listened to by tho whole of Europe. Taking in hand tho cnuso of humanity, he founded a newspaper— " L'KveiiOment"—to expound his viows and plead tho caueo of civilisation. In tho House, he ppoke against tho limitation of manhood suffrage, and opposed, as an act unworthy of tho French Kepublic, tho despatch of a corps of occupation to Rome. In all his ppeochoa ho showed a great mistrust in tho I'resident of the Kepublic, Napoleon Bonaparto ; ho scorned to foreseo what was to happen, viz., tho murdor of tho Republic by him,-who had sworn on tho altar to protect: it. On the 2nd of December, 185}, tho cqujj d'etat took place, and when all the representatives of tho pooplo and all the generals who hud remained faithful to the constitution were arrested by ordor of Bonaparte and sent tj prison, Victor Hugo tried to provoko a rising of the people against those who dotainod unlawfully in their hands tho government of Franco. But this attempt was unsuccessful, and when tho massacres wore over, when the Second Empire had established itself on the blood of tho people, lists of proscription were drawn up, and Victor Hugo's name being at tho top of tho first ono, he wont to Jersoy with his family. During the first year of his oxilo he published "Napoloon the Little," a pamphlet which was intonded to awaken public opinion irt France, and in 1853 ho sent to the press " Los Chfitiments," which struck the firtt powerful blow at tho Imperial throne. In 185G, ho gave tho world his "Contemplations," a sories of poums, in which tho great poot appears sido by sido with tho philoeopher. After tho Italian war, Bonaparte proclaimed a general amnesty for the exiles of tho cuup d'etat \ but Victor Hugo, who was then a_t Guernsey, refused to roturn to France so' long as ho remained under tho rule of those who murdered tho people in 1851. In 1862,* the " Miserables " appeared simultaneously at Paris, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Now York, Madrid, Milan, etc., having been translated into nine different languages. One hundred and fifty thousand copies of this masterpiece were sold in France alone from 1803 to ISGS, when the great poot issued a now book of poetry, "Songs of the Streets and tho Woods," which secured for him the name of ," The Paganini of Poetry." When in Guernsey he published tho " Travailleurs do la Mer," (" Toilers^ the Soa "), a novel full of vigour and originality, tho principal scones of which are laid at Guernsey. In 18G9, a Radical daily newspaper "Le Kappel," wag started in Paris, under the auspices of Victor Hugo, and written by his two sons, together with Paul Meurice and Henry llochofort. This newspaper, managed with talent under the oye of the master, soon assumed an influence which it has since retained. Having been solicited publicly by his friend Felix Pyat to go back to France with him, he answered by a couplet of tho " Chatimente," "And if only ono is to remain, I shall be that one. ' On the occasion of tho plebiscite when France was asked to ratify the now constitution of tho Empire, he published a protest entitled " Non (no), in three letters ; this word means everything-," He was prosecuted for having excited hatred and contempt against the established Government, but as he was then in England ho was not arrested, although a conviction was recorded against him.

last, upon the fall of the Empire after Sedan, he returned to his beloved country Immediately afterwards ho addressod a lone proclamation to the German.*, in which ho urged them to declare a German Republic and to join France in the great work of civilisation. During the war he remained in Pans and eulistpd in the National Guard At the general elections for the Assembly of Bordeaux he waa returned a member for Paris by 2U,169 votes.

On hearing of the unscrupulous demands of Bismaiok, ho made a speech against the preliminaries of peace, and was interrupted with such violence by those who had (led to Belgium at the first gunshot that ho reeigned his seat the day after. During tbn insurrection of the Commune, he remained in Paris, and in an article published in tho ''Rappel," he defended the column Vendome against the decrees of the Commune jHe placed "on the same level Versailles which bombarded the Arch of Triumph, and the Commune who pulled down the column." After the fall of thei Commune, he went to Brussels. There, as the Belgian Government was ex-

pelling the political) refugees, he, listening only to the voice of Jhumanity, wrote a letter offering a shelter in his own house to the Communists. This letter was considered by the Government as being calculated to injuro the interests of Bolgium, and a royal decree thoroforo compelled him to leave Brussels. In 1872, the whole of the Republican Press of Paris nominated him as a candidate for a Parisian seat in the National Assembly. In 1873, he wrote a patriotic poem, " La Liberation dv Territoire," which was sold for the benefit of the Alsatians and Lorrainers. The year 1874 gave birth to " Quatre - vingt ■ treize," which, like the " Miserables," wag printed in nine different languages, md spread over the whole of Europe. On the occasion of the first Senatorial elections, Victor Hugo, upon the persuasions of the Municipal Council of Paris, accepted the duty of delegate, and wrote a manifesto, in which he exposed with great clearness his principloof "the extinction of monarchy by ;he federation of peoples." In January, 1870, ho was elected a Senator, and prpnounced a speech advocating an amnesty in favour of the Communists. When Marshal McMahon dissolved the Parliament in 1877. Hugo, fearing a new coup d'etat, published the "History of a Crime," which is a complete narrative cf the COV2> d'etat of 1851. As a preface he wrote these few words: "This bookis more than an actuality; it is an urgency. I publish it." He then wrote several poems, "Tho Art of being a Grandfather," "Tho Pope," "The Supreme Pity," etc., and in 1880 tho 50th anniversary of " Hernani" was celebrated with great solemnity at the Come'die Franijaiso before an audience who had come oapecially from all parts of France. But the pdet's greatest day of glory was that of his 80th birthday. On the 26th February, 1882, the whole nation came to pay her tribute of admiration to tho great man. Never had such a spectacle been seen beforo. Never had any other man—be he Cesar, Charlomagne, or Napoleon I.— in his whole life tho glory which Victor Hugo had in one day. All, too, without distinction of party, of opinion, or of class, the whole nation seeming to be united to render that anniversary the grandest national festival France had ever seen. Magistrates, soldiers, ministers, legislators, artisans — all came in crowds with bunches of flowers to tho house of the octogenarian patriot. All the trades, headed by their banners, all the bands, and choral societies, passed before the balcony where he was standing, singing his praises. Joy and emotion could be seen on all faces And he, the great man himself, the hero of this memorablo day, his bead slightly bent on his chest, holding his two grand-children by tho hand, looked at this crowd who came to pay their tribute to his talent and virtues, and thought of what he could do to return to this people what they had given him. He presevered till his death all hia wonderful power, and three years ago be published a dramatic poem, " Torquemada," which even surpasses what he had written before. Ho was prominent in all branches of literature, drama, poetry, fiction, philosophy, journalism, and criticism. As an orator, although he did not possess a great deela-natory power, he stood among the best on account of the depth of his thought and the beauty and strength of his language. Ho waß v philanthropist, and nover heard of a misfortune without reaching out a helping hand to the subject of it. Hejwas a great admirer of Shakspere, and his son, Francois Victor Hugo, translated into French Marlowe's " Faust" and Shakespero's complete works. In conclusion, I may very fittingly quote a paragraph from the " Daily News" of the 27th February, 1877, which gives an English opinion on our great poet:—"lt is rather strange to reflect that France still possesses her greatest poet, and that, in his crent ago, his lyrig force is not abated. Yot it will probably be allowed by foreigners1 if not by Frenchmen, that Victor Hugo is the {.'reatost name in the roll of French literary worthies. Other countries must look back to some distant time to find the singer whom they chiefly delight to honour. England possesses in Shakspere a poet whose place seems set above the reach of mortal ambition. Each generation has its favourites whom new generations niny accept or reject, but Shakspore is always outside the risk of rivalry. In Germany a moro recentlydeveloped literaturo finds her chief triumph in the plays and poems of Gccthe, and in his far-reaching and tranquil knowledgo of men and tnings. In Italy no litth name has for centuries been added to those of tho four chief poets, and among them Panto holds tho chiot place, unchallenged and unapproached. But France has waited till this century for her poet of widest rango, of most musical tongue, a 1 mighty-voiced inventor of harmonies.'" Al.lllX VIIXEVAL. I desire to correot a mistatement which appeared in tho sub leader of the "Herald" on Victor Hugo. Your morning contemporaiy says that after having sent his reeig nation to the Speaker of tho National Assembly, M. Grevy, M. Hugo then sought refuge in Brussels, but was expelled from the country. In IS7I he returned to Paris, 4c. Nothing is more inaccurate than this statement, for, when leaving the National ARgembly at Bordeaux, he lost his son, Charles Hugo, and brought his body back to Paris, where ho remained during the months of March, April, and May, after which he went to Bruesela. Besides, Victor Hugo had not to seek refuge, seeing that he was not exiled.