New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-01


difficult to conceive any case in which hi
functions may not be interfered with.
r-vp-.-~rn-r--..-xrsn
HHAvE WE A NATIONAL INSTITUTE
The next best thing to originality outright i
to copy something from good model. Bu
it is q bad business to botch in attempting t,
improve the model.
This apothegmn appears to have been over
looked by the Congressional orgnatOrs ant
promoters of "The National Academy o
SCIENCE" incorporated at the last session o.
Congress. When Senator Wilson introduced
the measure, we were told it was for the pur.
pose of giving us an Institute such as France
had so long enjoyed. We are all aware of the
desperate filings at the French Institute or
Academy, from the time of Piron, who
wns blackballed by the members, end left as
bis epitaph "Ci git Piron, qui n'ftai rien !;
pas meme Acadsmieien"-to Alexandra Dumas,
who averred in court, upon a certain civil suit
touching literary matter, that he had written
more volumes than all the Academicans put
together. But, notwithstanding these sharp
sayings, to be O member of the French
Institute has ever been considered q first
class honor-to be priced equally by official
and non.oficial personages, by heads Of State,
and by Swans. ltterateurs and artists. When
Napoleon was Commanders n-chief of the
French army and First Consul, be used proudly
to sign himself Member of the Institutes"
when Rossni who with Talleyrand was said to
rule Europe, had his Likeness taken in Paris, it
was in the costume of member, with the EN-
broidered coat due the Order-for what 10 Man
without clothes, oh. Sartor Resartus!
The Forty Academicians are great name.
That title has exercised charmed force over
the passionate ambitions, the swelling enthu-
siasms, the soul.wrenchng aspirations OF the
students, explorers, inventors, poets, and those
whose intellectual intensties and immennties
..re beyond lassfcation-or cover the trinity
Of art, science, and literature.
IL certainly was a great thought to aim at
rivaling the French Academy. For, Heaven
knows that as o nation, most do We need gen. |
ernl sanctions to individual efforts. When we
look at the awful quacks who abound. in let. !
ters, arts and sciences; when We perceive that
there is no centralized brand Of approval-no
tower stamp for go many invaluable entities
that genius and courage have 90 often to 60
abroad even now 10 find recognition, as in the
time of Fenimors Cooper when he declared
that three Mandatory lines from an English re-
viewer were Of more value TO an American
author than aught or all TINT could be said by |
critics and prent at homo. We feel the neces-
si,y OF having some centre of intellectual light |
in order that our ~perate States and cities,
should not 10, in so large degree. as Little
without national or universal
warning with either, and none
accepting definitely the opinions Of the other
on hubects of prime utility and grandeur.
What, FOR example, does New-York care for
the opinion of PHILADELPHIA, on Artl what does
rhia care for h a Science ! what
does Boston caro- for pha OF New
York in regard TO literh hese be facts: |
They cannot be argued q. W rhetoric or
assertion.
An institution, bearing IT, grace, beauty |
and puissance, Of National Power, to which |
all parts and sections Of the great country
would give cheerful allegiance, is then needed
10 establish intellectual ranks; AID TO the
same extent, set up standards of weight and
authority in the domain Of creative mind. If
we were to have such q foundation as the In
,titute Of France, whose Chairs are without
money and without price, whose honors are
among the most tremendously great incentives
10 labor, and eIertion, and achievement in oil
The walks of High Thought and Enterprise, it
would be a glorious consummatOn-worthy
Congress, the nation, and the age.
But what do we perceive in Hmins' We
earn that "the National Academy Of Science"
ncorpol ated at the last Session Of Con.
,ress, met for organization on last week in
he Chapel Of the University Of this CITY,"
The National Academy Of Science ! Why who
constituted the Academicians There have
been no discussions as TO who is who, and
what is what, in regard to the fitness or emf
nent qualifications Of the members; but We
earn oil OF sudden that the Academy is in
session! Could assurance 90 further 7 Who,
in the name of Apollo and the Nine Muses.,
are the gentlemen who are to rival the historic
Forty of France Whence did they derive
their diplomas Who ever heard that there
wero fifty American National Academcians I'M
til the ubiquitous New.York press reporters,
were obligingly furnished with a list of the
Of rod Ia.