OUR PARIS LETTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2037, 28 July 1885, Page 3

OUR PARIS LETTER.

iKUOM Ol X OHV CORUFsPOVI>FSr.] P.vnis, June 1. Thk obsequies of Victor Hugo suggest by their imposing character what would ha\c been given to ShakspiMo or Dante had they died in 18S.">, instead of Kill, and 1321. The Knghsh ceremony would h.ue been grander and moie massive in point of solemnity ; the Italian more poetical, more hoinenc, but only Fiance could command the diamatic element, winch, while stilling the mind and touching the heart at the s.une time dazzles the eyes. When Mnlieie died in 1G73, he was mtcned at night, almost suneptitiously, for a pall he hid but n piece of old caipet, pei haps the crowning indignity to the dramatist, son of a cai pet niakei, but whose genius will outlive the Capet dynasty. When Volt.nu> died in 17S.S, liis body hnd to be smuggled out nf Tan-, dressed in the robes of an invalid, and it was almost by a fluke he w as mtei i td in the Milage church near Soissoiis. Twelve yeais later his remains lecened a public funeral, and weie interiedm the I'antheon, but to be relegated, along with those of Kousscau, a few yeais alfteiwauN by the royalists to the nibbish depot of the city. Volta iie's heart is preserved safe and sound in the National Library. The tianslation of Napoleons "ashes fiom St Henela, in IK4O, was a nulitaiv spectacle, united to a political stroke of business. They remained under the Aic de Tiiomphe, which commemorates ISO victoiies, and the names of .T>o heroes, all generals— not a piivate sokliei theie to lepresent the lank and file. The Due de Morny's funeial was the apotheosis of adven'tuiism, .it which all l'aiisians laughed "as the best thing out."' The niteinient of Tluers was followed by the linpiecatioiis of the loyalists whom lie desei ted, and the hate of the c<iiuinunists whom ho mowed down. The buiial of Gambetta was essentially a lepnbliean ceieinony. Democracy mourned foi him as an niepaiable loss, but his adversaues in then heaits sighed with the instincts of our common natare at so In llliant a talent being cut off in the flower of its age. It was not a funeral at which two mi l lions of persons assisted yesterday, but an apotheosis ; they were not ob-equies, but an enthronement. It was tho fete of genius, of the bard who chanted human «orrow, and the litteiatem, who, despite flights of fancy ai.d eccentwcities of espiession, lenuuned tue as the needle to the pole to the gospel of Liberty, and tho pio-te-t of man's inhumanity to man. It is thus that he, like llomei, Dante and Shikspeie, will M,ivi\e when tin ones and principalities shall ha\e faded away. Greece is reinembeied, not by Tliemistoeles and Nicias, but by llomei, Plato, .E-chjlus and Aiistotle. Home, not by her Supios and Ciesai-s, but by Cicero, Virgil, Luctetius and Tacitus. Napoleon de \ eloped only Gallophobia. Hugo has been moie Mctouoits, foi his tuumphs have been for intelligence. Hitheito war, tnawciu and force have been feted. Hugo's bunal was the clowning of thought ; the honouring of that couiageous iiiburgent against tiiumphant despotism, and w hose battles have entailed neither a drop of blood nor the e\pendituie of a fianc. Such a wamoi meiits what he has leceived— a cosr.io pohtan mourning and the Pantheon foi a tomb. The altitude of the Parisians was extraoidmaiy. Hugo loved their city, and they adored him. Undei the veils and the crape theie was everywhere flowers. Like Andromache, Pans .smiled through her teais. The lying-in-state, the "wake,"' in a word, was the least unimpressive part of the whole pioceedings. The Arc de Triomphe decoiations displayed haste r.ithei than taste. The catafalque had a top heavy look, and suggested moie of the theatre than of the undertaker. The binning of gieen lights was not effective, and the lighted toiches of the cavahy guard weie not imposing. The crape scaif across the arch had a huiigiy look ; you felt something was wanting to bung out the idea of the giandiose. Perhaps the ] pettiest decoration was the Statue of " Immortality " before tho Palace of Industiy, the lower half of the gioup lepiesenting a weeping female figure on her knees, along witht wo children, iniplm ing the angel flying upwards with departed genius, coveied withciape; impossible to bung out guef and consolation moie effectively. It is probable that such a spectacle as Hugo's funeral will never be witnessed again. Tho cortege was admirable. It was twelve miles long. It included 800,000 persons, and had one and a-half millions more for spectator*. It set out fit a quai tor to twelve o'clock, and the distance to the pantheon, about two mde<=, was i cached by the hearse at two. At half-pa-t three the coffin was placed in the \ault, a saicophngus facing that dedicated to J. .T. Kousseau. The conulor is well lit by daylight ; it is a kind of cloister, and the exact position is nearly undei the dome of the building, «o as an oi.itor tiuly remaiked, fioin Hugo's toiiib^ there will be evei lays of light. The ceieinony was terminated at the Pantheon, before the end of the piocesston had quit the tiuiniph.il aich, and the military guard of honoui closing up the escort only inarched past the Pantheon at half past seven. Tim- s t >ven and a half houis were .requited to allow a cortege twelve miles long to defile ovei a length of two miles. Monday morning had been threatening ; some dri/./Jing ram had fallen in theeaily hours and chilled dis.igieeably the air. At the moment the coffin was uitbchaun funn the catafalque to bo placed on thelieaisc, the sun shot out in full bla/.e. " Happy is the bride that the sun whines on,"' says the piovcrb. We, too, weie assisting at a union ; that of Genuis with Immortality. The Press aiiangements weie excellent; immediately behind the Hugo family and theoiatois, opposite weie all the celt brities, home and foieign. From nine o'clock the deputations commenced to hie past the catafalque, preceded by tlien cmwiis, ban neis and bands, to occupy then allotted positions in tho piocessum, and wheie they fitted in with the legulanty of pieces of machineiy. Minister, escorted by cay aby, high dignitanes of state, and ambassatlois auived m lapid succession, and were, quickly conducted to then seats by a Master of Ceremonies, diessed in black velvet, silk stockings, siher buckled shoes, Spanish mantle, and thiee cocked hat, foi saluting, in hand. About half-past ten there was a stillness ; pieceded by the Master of the Ceremonies, armed the Hugo family. M. Loekroy had mi bis aim " Jeanne,"hisstep-daughter, and " Gcoiges" had on his ai in his mother, Madame Lockloy. All eyes weie fixed on the poet's two grand-childien, whom he idolised and has made io celebiated in his writings. Jeanne was very flushed fiom ciying ; her mourning became hei admirably. She is about fifteen, tall for her age, good-looking, and in her happier houis must be a meiry and pleasing gnl. Hei w.iist was clasped by hei mothei. Geoiges is about seventeen, rathei tall foi his a«e, somewhat sallow, agieeable-looking, and grave. Madame Lock my was iccognisable only by her sobs. M. Loekroy is slender, aged 53, very silvery hair, close cropped ; sharp as a needle, and of popular, thorough reserved manners. Odd, he was tho only male member of Hugo's circle who wore crape round his hat Messrs Vacquerie and Meuiice may be ranked as members of Hugo* family ; they aie his literary executors. The former is editor of the Kappel ; is tall, admirable, unpretending, and fatigued ; the latter wears his white hair combed back, like the members of the Romantic School of 1829 ; he has a splendid, protruding forehead, quite a benevolent look ; he would pass for an English parson or a Fnend ; only theology is the last idea to entei lm head, and he keeps his religion to himself. Close at hand is. Henri Rochefort; happily the Oppositionists, headed by Spuller, aio on the opposite side ; he is the pictuie of robust, iion health, and his stormy career seems to not disagiee with him. He is getting stout, that political Ishmael, and his face is acquiring a deeper lnuunny tint ; his hnii is still bluish, but of a nasty steel grey. It thatches beyond doubt a massivo brain, and sets off well-chiselled, but not agieeable feature*, itochefort hopes, now that eveiy Frenchman is eligible for burial in the Pantheon, a sensible augmentation will take place in the population of France. M. Clemenceau glides unobstrusively into hii seat ; he looks the pictuie of quietness, but at the same time of tornble energy and inflxible resolution. Madame Adam, the proprietress and editress of LaNouvolle Kcveue, in which the Comte de Vasih caricatures London society till he be icplied to, is in the most fashionable mourning. She is tall, uthei pale, vciy intelligent, and of decided will. You would not believe, unless told, that she is a giandmother of fivo yeais standing. Latei she was not so contented-looking. When at the Pantheon she was accidentally excluded from witnessing the poet's coffin placed in its niche. But hern is Geneial Pitie", preceded by the chief Master of Ceremonies, who crosses over to expiess condolence with Georges, Jeanne and their mothei on behalf of the Piesident of the Republic, whom etiquette precludes from

being piesent. With what exquisite cmutcsy the general di-ehaiges hi-, tuition, c.ip in hand, while his aulcs de camps behind stand, hand to heid, diluting milit.inly. Next ai lives M. Biisson, the Punic Mmisti'i, the Adonis of the Cabinet. He seems ill at ease, and i- delighted when he can legain his seat. It is the turn of M. do Fieycinet, the ical chief of the Cabinet, a In ing skeleton, with a piece of a white slnoiid over his head and face. Death will not have any physical change to make in him. Among the ambassadors Loid Lyons is on the fiont benches, which ire all conned with black cloth and white edging, he leans on Ins uiiibiella, the peifect type of the good old English gentleman, and one of tnu olden time ; he looks on the ceiemony as the most natnial e\ent m the win Id, and would wish Fi nice mij be able to so honoui all hei lllustiious dead. The (ieunui ainbassadoi is thiee vauls distant . then c.unes the Anieiican Jimistei, Mi McLine, lie cleaily looks new, wens his hat well down to shade his feelings, and leans foiw.iul on the one glo\ed band, as if listening to an oiatei " in possession of thettooi. ' The Japanese ambassador is bundled into his place with his giey top coat, and his l'eisian colleague, seizes the occasion to appear m gold and diamonds. The best «.j>eakei-> at the Aic de Tuomphe weie M. Floquet, who m a few sentences delnered an eulogy on the political aspect of Hugo s life-woik, with a true eloquence that hied the blood. Ennle Augier paid the tiibute of the Academy to the poet's hteiaij caieei, a gem beautifully -set. The oiat-n in his palm embioideied coat, had a sinking le-einblauce to Louis Philippe. The othei speeches weie leat hoi and piunella. A roll fiom the muffled diuins and twelve undertakeis' men tlnew aside the di apery of the catafalque, and drew foith the cofhn. The lattei was not exactly a paupei's «ince it was in oak, conned with black cloth, and ornamented with tiliei, the shell being of lead. The coflin was then placed in the humblest of heaises, that which com eyed the lemains of Julie-* Valles to his gia\e, and diawn by two hoihe.s, not an oinament ; the pall had only two palms acioss it, and two crowns of white loses-, the la^t offeiings of his giandchildien. Pieccding this heai-e weie twelve otheis, laden with ciowns and wreaths, so many hiumphal cam. The bands next executed ChopiA's Fuiunal Much, and then the Maiseillaise. The dilute of twenty one gums was fired at the Juiabdes by the old pensioners of Hugo's own age, and then the cortege commenced to niaich. J3ut what a crowd! perhaps it was m itself the most impressi\e pait of the spectacle. Hanging in clusteis fiom the tiees and chimney pots, in lows along the ioofs, m gioiips with heads peeping thiough skylights, ahtiide ndge tiles, on the coinicrs of buildings, hugging the lamp posts— the lamps weie lighted and \eilcd m ciape, on laddeis, on balconies, on tables, on boats, on logs in the n\er, on the quays, down to the watei's edee, as fai as the eje could retch, nothing but masses of human beings. The piocession wended its way through an immense mer of spectators; each crossstreet was a. tributaiy, welling back. On the Place dc la Conpoide, it was an ocean of face-. It may be said that the mass of people kept itself m line. Stiange that dm ing the march it was expected the io\ahst, Boulevaul St. Germain would be hostile by householders closing then window shutteis. It was the loute wheie the must applause was expressed, and the must people assem bled. As each lovely ciown passed In, it was praised by a clapping of hands ; I noticed e\en policemen indulging in the contagious enthusiasm unconsciously. Then when the simple hearse ai rived, theie was a solemn stillness; a genual uncoveiingof heads ; women made the sign ( f the cio«-, and men had a moir.cntaiy communing with themselves. On traversing Li Con corde biidgc, l">0 piceons weie let loose fiom the quay ; it was a Uihute by Hugo's own nephew to, the deceased's respect for such buds, who, in memory of the sei vices they rendeied during the seigo, nevei had any served at his table. Along the unite no mourning flags were displayed ; some timei a balcony had a border of black cloth, or a tricolour veiled. Another conspicuous absence, not a sailor was present, y«>t the Travaillems de la Mer merited a souvenu of the ocean, beside which he passed twenty years of his life. To describe the endless wieathsand ciowns would be impossible; like the stai«, they differed only in gloi> ; they weie from all nations, fiom all l.mks and conditions of men. That of Alsace and Lorraine were cheeied fiom their significance; that fiom Egypt was sunilaih honoui ed ; the hearse load of crowns fiom the colonies was warmly gieeted ; Calais sent a crown in lace, and St. Etienne_ in ribbons rache, typical of their industiies. These crowns were all spread on the great flights of steps of the Pantheon, and looked a fany land as the .sun shone down on that ai lay of colours. It was fioin these steps that the noblest \iew of tho procession was to be obtained; the seething ciowd, the ad\ancing columns of banneis, and crowns, and soldieis, and societies, pioduced an in descubable effect of grandeur, coloui and majesty. It was under the poitico of the Pantheon the last orations were dehveied, but it was rather a listless affair; listener were fatigued after the raaich. An Italian orator won the palm : " Italy sends aspug of i\y and two rosps, grown on soil bi ought from Fiance; she shades these with her tiicolom, and places them on the tlncshold of Hugo's ininioitahty." The flow en that had been stiewn on the lid of the coffin weie lemoved as it was being cairied to the vault. These were seized upon at once as souveuus. The few accidents weie veiy tin ial, and the red-flag people weie, after all, so gored or so cowed as to merit neither pnise nor blame. Tho death and bunal of Hugo will soon belong to Instoiy. Fiance piepaies for her letuin to eveiyday life. Some impoitant political questions await hei attention, especially hei lelations with (ieimany. Has Dismaiek jilted hei for Knglaud. Has Ku-m.i succeeded in tmnlng" Vfghan into a sexton foi India .'