The deceased genius and patriot was born
in Besangon, ~rance, February 2, 1802, and
lived a little- oever eighty-three years. His
father was a soldier and served with dis
tinction under the First Napoleon, rising
to the rgnk.of General. While still an in
f.nt yictorwas taken to the Island of Elba,
wher his fathelr was in command of the
garrison. When four years old he removed
with his mother to Paris, two years later
returning to Italy, thenfo Spain, and final
ly again to Patrt
Whm qits ng hi genius manifested
itself iqbtrt tipngj assages from the
Latin az poets andi in writing plays
fashioaui4`aftr the manner of Holier.
When fifteen he competed for the poetical,
prize annually offered by the French Acad.
emy, and only missed the award because
the judges could not believe it to have orig
inated with one, so young, When twenty
years of age his first volime of " Odes and
Ballads" was published; it gained him
much fame and a pension of 1000 francs
from Louis XVIII. Hugo was then a prol fle
and versatile writer, but had not achieved
the higheit distinction. When, however,
his drama of " Herlani " :was performed
for the first time, he became really famous*
It put him at the head of the romancista as
against the classieals, and achieved a vic
tory or:the new school which was perma
nent .. its results, It was the dawn of the
Young France after the stifling night of the
Empire.
Aftqr the conp d'etat, as is well known,
Hugo was exiled from France. Napoleon
III, stood in terror of the ardent Liberalist.
