The Romantic Circumstances Attending the Writing of France’s National
Anthem By a Young Artillery Officer.
Probably no national hymn has ever roused the frenzy of patriotic
enthusiasm which always attends the singing of “The Marseillaise.” The
bloody deeds of the French Revolution were all accompanied to the music
of this inspiring song, and curiously enough, it seems to fire the
hearts of the people when they are actuated by widely different motives.
The origin of the song is interesting and would seem to indicate that it
was indeed an inspiration in the true sense of the word. Lamartine gives
the story in his “Histoire des Girondins.”
In the garrison of Strasburg was quartered a young artillery officer,
named Rouget de Lisle, a native of Louis de Salnier, in the Jura. He
had a great taste for music and poetry, and often entertained his
comrades during their long and tedious hours in the garrison. Sought
after for his musical and poetical talent, he was a frequent and
familiar guest at the house of one Dietrich, an Alsatian patriot,
Mayor of Strasburg.
The winter of 1792 was a period of great scarcity at Strasburg. The
house of Dietrich was poor, his table was frugal, but a seat was
always open to Rouget de Lisle.
One day there was nothing but bread and some slices of smoked ham on
the table. Dietrich, regarding the young officer, said to him, with
sad serenity:
“Abundance fails at our boards; but what matters that, if enthusiasm
fails not at our civic _fêtes_, nor courage in the hearts of our
soldiers? I have still a last bottle of wine in my cellar. Bring it,”
said he to one of his daughters, “and let us drink France and Liberty!
Strasburg should have its patriotic solemnity. De Lisle must draw from
these last drops one of those hymns which raise the soul of the
people.”
The wine was brought and drank, after which the officer departed. The
night was cold. De Lisle was thoughtful. His heart was moved, his head
heated. He returned staggering to his solitary room and slowly sought
inspiration—sometimes in the fervor of his citizen soul, and anon on
the keys of his instrument, composing now the air before the words,
and then the words before the air. He sung all, and wrote nothing, and
at last, exhausted, fell asleep with his head resting on his
instrument, and awoke not till daybreak.
The music of the night returned to his mind like the impression of a
dream. He wrote it, and ran to Dietrich, whom he found in the garden
digging winter lettuces. The wife and daughters of the old man were
not up. Dietrich awoke them, and called in some friends, all as
passionate as himself for music, and able to execute the composition
of De Lisle. At the first stanza, cheeks grew pale; at the second,
tears flowed; and at the last the delirium of enthusiasm burst forth.
The wife of Dietrich, his daughters, himself, and the young officer,
threw themselves, crying, into each other’s arms.
The hymn of the country was found. Executed some days afterward in
Strasburg, the new song flew from city to city, and was played by all
the popular orchestras. Marseilles adopted it to be sung at the
commencement of the sittings of the clubs, and the Marseillaise spread
it through France, singing it along the public roads. From this came
the name of “Marseillaise.”