Mons. Victor Hugo's Annual Festival Of Poor Little Children.

them the parental feeling—is to have a fraternal feeling towards humanity . " M . Victor Huo'O then referred to the results of the enquiries on the health of children , made eighteen years ago , by the Medical Academy of

Paris . Those enquiries proved that the greater part of diseases Avhich Avere fatal to poor children proceeded solely from insufficient nourishment , and that if they could have meat and Avine , even once a month , that would suffice to preserve them

from all those 6 A ils AA'hich spring * from impoverishment of the blood—that is to say , not only scrofulous diseases , but also affections of the heart , the lungs , and the brain . Impoverishment of the blood , moreover , makes children susceptible of a

variety of contagious diseases , such as croup , and engine couenneuse , from lvhich good nourishment , once a month , would suffice to protect them . The conclusions of the Academy had made a deep

impression on his—M . Victor Hugo's mind . Engrossed , hoAvever , when in France by the business ¦ of public life , he had had no time for establishing dinners for poor children . But profiting by the leisure which the Emperor of the French had

given him in Guernsey , he had carried the idea into execution . Considering that if a good dinner once a month could do so much good , a good dinner once a fortnight would do still more , he had fed forty-two children , twenty-one of whom

• came to him every week . Moreover , when the ¦ end of the year arrived he wished to give them the little pleasure which the children of the rich mud in their OAVII homes ; he wished that they also ¦ should have their Christmas . This little yearly

fete was composed of three parts—a luncheon , a distribution of clothing , and a distribution of toys , "for , " said M . Victor Hugo , "joy is an element of children ' s health . Therefore it is that I

dedicate to them annually a Christmas tree . This is the fifth celebration of the fete . And noAv why do I say all this ? The only merit in a good action ( if there be a good action ) is to say nothing about it . I should , in fact , be silent if I thought only

of myself . But my object is not merely to do good to forty children . My object above all is to set a useful example . This is my sole excuse . " M . Victor Hugo proceeded to state that his example had been followed , with admirable results ,

in America , Sweden , and SAvitzerland ; and even in Spain the good work was beginning . As to England—and especially as to London—he would speak with . ' proof in hand . He then read extracts

of a letter from a gentleman in England , Avhich appeared in the Petit Journal , a paper read by tAvo millions of persons . The writer says : — " Struck by the heartrending spectacle of the poor districts of London , deeply moved at the

sight of its pale and miserable children , terrified at the rapid progress of debility amongst town populations—a debility Avhich is tending to replace our A-igorous Anglo-Saxon race , by an enervated and dwindled race , some charitable persons at the

head of Avhom is the Earl of Shaftesbury , have founded a dinner society for poor children . Charity is so sweet a thing—to give a little of one ' s superfluity is an act Avhich brings such rich enjo 3 "ment , that Ave cannot resist the desire of making known

to France the inventor of this charity—this new experiment which our old England has just commenced . " M . Victor Hugo added , " In this institution alone there are 320 children . Consider

the immense effect that may be produced on the children of' the poor by the multiplication of this number . M . Victor Hugo then read the following * letter written to the Times by the secretary of the institution established in London on the plan of

that of Hauteville House : — " Sir , —You Avere kind enough last year to insert in the Times a letter , in which I pointed out the very marked physical improvement that had taken place in the poor children of the New

Tothillstreet Ragged Schools , Westminster , from the system of regular fortnightly dinners to each child , and I then urged others Avho had similar opportunities to establish , if possible , the same plan in their own schools . " Another year ' s experience has most strongly

confirmed all I then said , for the good derived from these dinners by the poor children has been quite as great as on former years . The school has been generally healthy , and not one death from cholera has taken place among the children .

" I am sorry , hoAvever , to add , that the dinner fund , which has never failed for three years , will be quite exhausted next week , and I therefore hope you will , kindly alloAv me through your columns to appeal for assistance that I may be

enabled to continue during the forthcoming winter the usual number of dinners—viz ., four weekly to twenty-five children , 200 children in all beingpartakers . Each dinner to twenty-five now costs 10 s . 6 d ., so that aAveekly disbursement of £ 2 2 s . is required for the ordinary dinners . At Christmas a great dinner to 160 children bas also