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The National Music of America. 115
saw a crowd approaching his hiding-place; he drew a pistol and shot himself. It was only a crowd of harvesters making festival, the " Terror" was coming to its end, and Barbaroux was safe, had he only known it.
Of the composer of the " Marseillaise " it must be added that he was by no means true to the principles of his great song, for he afterward composed Legitimist, Royalist, and Imperialist songs, but we may easily imagine these to have sprung from his empty pocket-book, rather than from his heart.
Of the power of his song there can be no manner of doubt. A certain left-handed compliment may serve to show this; when Rouget de l'lsle was presented to Klopstock, the celebrated German writer turned from him, exclaiming : " Monster ! your music has killed fifty thousand Germans!" De l'lsle was again imprisoned during the Reign of Terror, but the death of Robespierre relieved him from this great peril. Louis Philippe |
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