| Show HUGOS TRIBUTE TO GREAT SAGE eulogy of voltaire held as masterpiece just a century after Volt aires death in 1778 victor dlugo 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 lie ile was also a superb orator and it Is safe to say that no more eloquent words have been spoken concerning the eighteenth century sage during all the years which elapsed since 1778 when voltaire laid down the burden of his body the alie following passage from that address may 30 as 1878 4 8 vividly sums up what the later great frenchman felt concerning the earlier great man of the same race 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 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 thunderbolt A pen with that weapon he fought with that weapon he conquered gentlemen let us salute that memory lie ile conquered the old code and the old dogma lie he conquered the feudal lot lord the gothic judge ile he raised the populace to the dignity of people he taught pacifica ted chiv lie ile was indefatigable and immovable lie ile conquered violence by a smile despotism by sarcasm infallibility by irony by perseverance ignorance by truth I 1 have used the word smile it la Is voltaire whatever may be his jut 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 sm balle e I 1 crepea repeat Is 9 voltaire 0 a re luminous um that smile was fruitful also the new soc elty the society for or equality and concession and that lie of which calls lie of which calls beginning inning fraternity itself tolerance reciprocal rood good will the just accord ot of men awl and rights reason recognized recognize as a the supreme law the annihilation of 0 prejudices and fixed opinions the serenity of souls the spirit of indulgence and of reason harmony peace behold a all I 1 has as come from that great smile I 1 |
