Show HUGOS TRIBUTE TO GREAT SAGE eulogy of voltaire held as masterpiece just a century after Volt aires death in 17 1778 78 victor hugo huge delivered an oration on the man and his abiding influence a writer in the kansas city star recalls hugo was not only his count rys greatest poet in the nineteenth century but equally famed as the writer of such celebrated dramatic novels as notre dame and les leg he was also a superb orator and it Is safe to say that no more eloquent words have been spoken concerti con concerning cerni ng the eighteenth century sage du during ring all the years which elapsed since 1778 when voltaire laid down the burden of his body the following passage from that address may SO 30 1878 vividly sums u up what the later great frenchman felt concerning the earlier great man of the same race jn in the presence of this society frivolous and dismal voltaire alone having before his eyes those united voices the court the nobility and capital that unconscious power that blind multitude that terrible magistracy so severe to subjects so docile to the master crushing and flattering natt ering kneeling on the people before the king that clergy vile melange of hypocrisy and fanaticism voltaire alone declared war against that coalition of all the social iniquities against that enormous and terrible world and he accepted battle with it and what was his weapon that which has the lightness of the wind and the power of the thunder thunderbolt bolL A pen with that weapon he be fought with that weapon he be conquered gentlemen let us salute that memory he conquered the old code and the old dogma ile he conquered the feudal lord the gothic judge he raised the populace to the dignity of people he taught civilized ile he was indefatigable and IMMO immovable Table ile he conquered violence by a smile despotism by sarcasm infallibility by irony by perseverance ignorance by truth I 1 have used the word smile it Is voltaire whatever may be lila his just wrath la Is passes and the irritated voltaire always gives way to the voltaire calmed then in that profound eye the smile appears that smile brolle I 1 repeat Is voltaire luminous that smile was fruitful also the new soc elty the society tor for equality and concession and that beginning of fraternity which calls calla itself tolerance reciprocal good will the just accord of men and rights reason recognized as the supreme law the annihilation of prejudices and fixed opinions the serenity of souls the spirit of indulgence and of reason harmony peace behold all has come from that gre great at smile I 1 |