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Title: Poems

Author: Victor Hugo

Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8775] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on August 12, 2003]

Edition: 10

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POEMS ***

 

Produced by Stan Goodman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

 

[Transcription note: One poem uses an a with a macron over it, this has been rendered as ä, which is not used in this text for any other purpose.]

POEMS BY VICTOR HUGO

1888

 

CONTENTS.

Memoir of Victor Marie Hugo

 

EARLY POEMS.

Moses on the Nile—Dublin University Magazine Envy and Avarice—American Keepsake

 

ODES.—1818-28.

King Louis XVII—Dublin University Magazine The Feast of Freedom—_”Father Prout” (F.S. Mahony)_ Genius—_Mrs. Torre Hulme_ The Girl of Otaheite—_Clement Scott_ Nero’s Incendiary Song—_H.J. Williams_ Regret—Fraser’s Magazine The Morning of Life Beloved Name—_Caroline Bowles (Mrs. Southey)_ The Portrait of a Child—Dublin University Magazine

 

BALLADES.—1823-28.

The Grandmother—_”Father Prout” (F.S. Mahony)_ The Giant in Glee—_Foreign Quart. Rev. (adapted)_ The Cymbaleer’s Bride—_”Father Prout” (F.S. Mahony)_ Battle of the Norsemen and the Gaels Madelaine The Fay and the Peri—Asiatic Journal

 

LES ORIENTALES.—1829

The Scourge of Heaven—_I.N. Fazakerley_ Pirates’ Song The Turkish Captive—_W.D., Tait’s Edisiburgh Mag._ Moonlight on the Bosphorus—_John L. O’Sullivan_ The Veil—_”Father Prout” (F.S. Mahony)_ The Favorite Sultana The Pasha and the Dervish The Lost Battle—_W.D., Bentley’s Miscel_., 1839 The Greek Boy Zara, the Bather—_John L. O’Sullivan_ Expectation—_John L. O’Sullivan The Lover’s Wish—V., Eton Observer_ The Sacking of the City—_John L. O’Sullivan_ Noormahal the Fair The Djinns—_John L. O’Sullivan_ The Obdurate Beauty—_John L. O’Sullivan_ Don Rodrigo Cornflowers—_H.L. Williams_ Mazeppa—_H.L. Williams_ The Danube in Wrath—Fraser’s Magazine Old Ocean—_R.C. Ellwood_ My Napoleon—_H.L. Williams_

 

LES FEUILLES D’AUTOMNE.—1831.

The Patience of the People—_G.W.M. Reynolds_ Dictated before the Rhone Glacier—_Author of “Critical Essays” The Poet’s Love for Liveliness—Fraser’s Magazine_ Infantile Influence—_Henry Highton, M.A._ The Watching Angel—Foreign Quarterly Review Sunset—_Toru Dutt_ The Universal Prayer—_Henry Highton, M.A._ The Universal Prayer—_C., Tait’s Magazine_

 

LES CHANTS DU CRÉPUSCULE.—1849.

Prelude to “The Songs of Twilight”—_G.W.M. Reynolds_ The Land of Fable—_G.W.M. Rrynolds_ The Three Glorious Days—_Elizabeth Collins_ Tribute to the Vanquished—Fraser’s Magazine Angel or Demon—Fraser’s Magazine The Eruption of Vesuvius—Fraser’s Magazine Marriage and Feasts—_G.W.M. Reynolds_ The Morrow of Grandeur—Fraser’s Magazine The Eaglet Mourned—Fraser’s Magazine Invocation—_G.W.M. Reynolds_ Outside the Ball-room—_G.W.M. Reynolds_ Prayer for France—_J.S. Macrae_ To Canaris, the Greek Patriot—_G.W.M. Reynolds_ Poland—_G.W.M. Reynolds_ Insult not the Fallen—_W.C.K. Wilde_ Morning—_W.M. Hardinge_ Song of Love—_Toru Dutt_ Sweet Charmer—_H.B. Farnie_ More Strong than Time—_A. Lang_ Roses and Butterflies—_W.C. Westbrook_ A Simile—_Fanny Kemble-Butler_ The Poet to his Wife

 

LES VOIX INTÉRIEURES.—1840.

The Blinded Bourbons—Fraser’s Magazine To Albert Dürer—_Mrs. Newton Crosland_ To his Muse—Fraser’s Magazine The Cow—_Toru Dutt_ Mothers—Dublin University Magazine To some Birds Flown away—_Mrs. Newton Crosland_ My Thoughts of Ye—Dublin University Magazine The Beacon in the Storm Love’s Treacherous Pool The Rose and the Grave—_A. Lang_

 

LES RAYONS ET LES OMBRES.—1840.

Holyrood Palace—Fraser’s Magazine The Humble Home—_Author of “Critical Essays” The Eighteenth Century—Author of “Critical Essays” Still be a Child—Dublin University Magazine_ The Pool and the Soul—_R.F. Hodgson_ Ye Mariners who Spread your Sails—_Author of “Critical Essays” On a Flemish Window-Pane—Fraser’s Magazine_ The Preceptor—_E.E. Frewer_ Gastibelza—_H.L. Williams_ Guitar Song—_Evelyn Jerrold_ Come when I Sleep—_Wm. W. Tomlinson_ Early Love Revisited—_Author of “Critical Essays” Sweet Memory of Love—Author of “Critical Essays” The Marble Faun—William Young_ A Love for Winged Things Baby’s Seaside Grave

 

LES CHÂTIMENTS.—1853.

Indignation! Imperial Revels—_H.L.W._ Poor Little Children Apostrophe to Nature Napoleon “The Little” Fact or Fable—_H.L.W._ A Lament—_Edwin Arnold, C.S.I._ No Assassination The Despatch of the Doom The Seaman’s Song The Retreat from Moscow—_Toru Dutt_ The Ocean’s Song—_Toru Dutt_ The Trumpets of the Mind—_Toru Dutt_ After the Coup d’État—_Toru Dutt_ Patria The Universal Republic

 

LES CONTEMPLATIONS.—1830-56.

The Vale to You, to Me the Heights—_H.L.W_ Childhood—_Nelson R. Tyerman_ Satire on the Earth How Butterflies are Born—_A. Lang_ Have You Nothing to Say for Yourself?—_C.H. Kenny_ Inscription for a Crucifix Death, in Life The Dying Child to its Mother—_Bp. Alexander_ Epitaph—_Nelson R. Tyerman_ St. John—_Nelson R. Tyerman_ The Poet’s Simple Faith—_Prof. E. Dowden_ I am Content

 

LA LÉGENDE DES SIÈCLES.

Cain—Dublin University Magazine Boaz Asleep—_Bp. Alexander_ Song of the German Lanzknecht—_H.L.W._ King Canute—_R. Garnett_ King Canute—Dublin University Magazine The Boy-King’s Prayer—Dublin University Magazine Eviradnus—_Mrs. Newton Crosland_ The Soudan, the Sphinxes, the Cup, the Lamp—_Bp. Alexander_ A Queen Five Summers Old—_Bp. Alexander_ Sea Adventurers’ Song The Swiss Mercenaries—_Bp. Alexander_ The Cup on the BattleField—_Toru Dutt_ How Good are the Poor—_Bp. Alexander_

 

LA VOIX DE GUERNESEY.

Mentana—_Edwin Arnold, C.S.I._

 

LES CHANSONS DES RUES ET DES BOIS.

Love of the Woodland Shooting Stars

 

L’ANNÉE TERRIBLE.

To Little Jeanne—_Marwaod Tucker_ To a Sick Child during the Siege of Paris—_Lucy H. Hooper_ The Carrier Pigeon Toys and Tragedy Mourning—_Marwood Tucker_ The Lesson of the Patriot Dead—_H.L.W._ The Boy on the Barricade—_H.L.W._ To His Orphan Grandchildren—_Marwood Tucker_ To the Cannon “Victor Hugo”

 

L’ART D’ÊTRE GRANDPÈRE.

The Children of the Poor—Dublin University Magazine The Epic of the Lion—_Edwin Arnold, C.S.I._

 

LES QUATRE VENTS DE L’ESPRIT.

On Hearing the Princess Royal Sing—_Nelson R. Tyerman_ My Happiest Dream An Old-Time Lay Jersey Then, most, I Smile The Exile’s Desire The Refugee’s Haven

 

VARIOUS PIECES.

To the Napoleon Column—_Author of “Critical Essays” Charity—Dublin University Magazine_ Sweet Sister—_Mrs. B. Somers_ The Pity of the Angels The Sower—_Toru Dutt_ Oh, Why not be Happy?—_Leopold Wray_ Freedom and the World Serenade—_Henry F. Chorley_ An Autumnal Simile To Cruel Ocean Esmeralda in Prison Lover’s Song—_Ernest Oswald Coe_ A Fleeting Glimpse of a Village—Fraser’s Magazine Lord Rochester’s Song The Beggar’s Quatrain—_H.L.C., London Society_ The Quiet Rural Church A Storm Simile

 

DRAMATIC PIECES.

The Father’s Curse—_Fredk. L. Slous_ Paternal Love—_Fanny Kemble-Butler_ The Degenerate Gallants—_Lord F. Leveson Gower_ The Old and the Young Bridegroom—_Charles Sherry_ The Spanish Lady’s Love—_C. Moir_ The Lover’s Sacrifice—_Lord F. Leveson Gower_ The Old Man’s Love—_C. Moir_ The Roll of the De Silva Race—_Lord F. Leveson Gower_ The Lover’s Colloquy—_Lord F. Leveson Gower_ Cromwell and the Crown—_Leitch Ritchie_ Milton’s Appeal to Cromwell First Love—_Fanny Kemble-Butler_ The First Black Flag—Democratic Review The Son in Old Age—Foreign Quarterly Review The Emperor’s Return—_Athenaum_

 

Victor in Poesy, Victor in Romance, Cloud-weaver of phantasmal hopes and fears, French of the French, and Lord of human tears; Child-lover; Bard whose fame-lit laurels glance Darkening the wreaths of all that would advance, Beyond our strait, their claim to be thy peers; Weird Titan by thy winter weight of years As yet unbroken, Stormy voice of France!

TENNYSON.

MEMOIR OF

VICTOR MARIE HUGO.

 

Towards the close of the First French Revolution, Joseph Leopold Sigisbert Hugo, son of a joiner at Nancy, and an officer risen from the ranks in the Republican army, married Sophie Trébuchet, daughter of a Nantes fitter-out of privateers, a Vendean royalist and devotee.

Victor Marie Hugo, their second son, was born on the 26th of February, 1802, at Besançon, France. Though a weakling, he was carried, with his boy-brothers, in the train of their father through the south of France, in pursuit of Fra Diavolo, the Italian brigand, and finally into Spain.

Colonel Hugo had become General, and there, besides being governor over three provinces, was Lord High Steward at King Joseph’s court, where his eldest son Abel was installed as page. The other two were educated for similar posts among hostile young Spaniards under stern priestly tutors in the Nobles’ College at Madrid, a palace become a monastery. Upon the English advance to free Spain of the invaders, the general and Abel remained at bay, whilst the mother and children hastened to Paris.

Again, in a house once a convent, Victor and his brother Eugène were taught by priests until, by the accident of their roof sheltering a comrade of their father’s, a change of tutor was afforded them. This was General Lahorie, a man of superior education, main supporter of Malet in his daring plot to take the government into the Republicans’ hands during the absence of Napoleon I. in Russia. Lahorie read old French and Latin with Victor till the police scented him out and led him to execution, October, 1812.

School claimed the young Hugos after this tragical episode, where they were oddities among the humdrum tradesmen’s sons. Victor, thoughtful and taciturn, rhymed profusely in tragedies, “printing” in his books, “Châteaubriand or nothing!” and engaging his more animated brother to flourish the Cid’s sword and roar the tyrant’s speeches.

In 1814, both suffered a sympathetic anxiety as their father held out at Thionville against the Allies, finally repulsing them by a sortie. This was pure loyalty to the fallen Bonaparte, for Hugo had lost his all in Spain, his very savings having been sunk in real estate, through King Joseph’s insistence on his adherents investing to prove they had “come to stay.”

The Bourbons enthroned anew, General Hugo received, less for his neutrality than thanks to his wife’s piety and loyalty, confirmation of his title and rank, and, moreover, a fieldmarshalship. Abel was accepted as a page, too, but there was no money awarded the ex-Bonapartist—money being what the Eaglet at Reichstadt most required for an attempt at his father’s throne—and the poor officer was left in seclusion to write consolingly about his campaigns and “Defences of Fortified Towns.”

Decidedly the pen had superseded the sword, for Victor and Eugène were scribbling away in ephemeral political sheets as apprenticeship to founding a periodical of their own.

Victor’s poetry became remarkable in La Muse Française and Le Conservateur Littéraire, the odes being permeated with Legitimist and anti-revolutionary sentiments delightful to the taste of Madam Hugo, member as she was of the courtly Order of the Royal Lily.

In 1817, the French Academy honorably mentioned Victor’s “Odes on the Advantages of Study,” with a misgiving that some elder hand was masked under the line ascribing “scant fifteen years” to the author. At the Toulouse Floral Games he won prizes two years successively. His critical judgment was sound as well, for he had divined the powers of Lamartine.

His “Odes,” collected in a volume, gave his ever-active mother her opportunity at Court. Louis XVIII. granted the boy-poet a pension of 1,500 francs.

It was the windfall for which the youth had been waiting to enable him to gratify his first love. In his childhood, his father and one M. Foucher, head of a War Office Department, had jokingly betrothed a