The morning call., 1894-05-12
AN AMERICAN ACADEMY.

General Lew Wallace, the author OF
'Ben Hur," and Professor Spofford, Lii
brsrisn Of Congress, have each laid bills
before Congress providing for the founda-
ton Of an academy after the fashion Of
the French Academy of The Forty lmmor-
tails. The bills provide that joint COM
mitiee of three, chosen from each house of
Congress, shall choose body of five men,
bers among men distinguished n letters,
and that these five shall add to their num-
Der twenty other literary men OF distinc-
ton. These twenty-five shall constitute
the American Academy, and shall have
power to supply vacancies when caused by
death, but the number Of academieians
shall never exceed twenty-five. The in
stiution will thus be immortal. and though
no salary or functions are TO be attached
to mem bership. the honor of belonging 10
the body will he so conspicuous that the
first aim of every literary man will be to
call himself memb of the academy. 1t
will, in fact, constitute brevet of bility.
1t cannot be said that the French Acad-
emy has been useless body, for it has
abored faithfully on the compilation of a
French dictionary, and so established a
standard of language to prevent the vicis-
situdes of verbal meaning to which Tenny-
son declared that our tongue was destined.
It has also held out before the eyes of
authors prize which has stimulated hon.
est endeavor and faithful work. But the
French language is constantly gaining new
words in spite of the academy, ana, as a
matter of fact, the greatest works of N od-
ern French literature have been written
by persons who were not members Of the
academy and never could get there. Still.
it is accounted a great triumph for French
author TO be one of the immortas. Princes
and Bishops covet the distinction with
avidity.
1t cannot be denied that the esta blish-
ment OF an American academy would pro-
mote the faithful pursuit of honest liter
ature. We have men who would worthily
take seats in such body. The danger is
that politics and sectionaliSm might inter-
fere with its usefulness. The French
academy has frequently been in the hands
of coleres which have been Influenced
by small jealousies and personal aniiD-
athies. Would not the evil be aggravated
here? Every distinguished American
writer has made enemies in his time; in
deed, every one who Is at all notable has
enemies, except persons who have gone
through lite trucking right and left and
shaking at the sight of their own shadow.
Might not this time-serving class get con-
troll of the academy and exclude every one
vino at any time had called spade
spade?
Again, sectional feeling runs high in
this country. Every section holds itself
hnr hn I'D Inn
which are going. If an academy were
esta ablished would not the several States
INSIST that memberships be divided among
them? AS matter OF TACT the leading
writers of the dAy-the dam literary fel-
ers," as Simon Cameron called them-are
generally found in two States, New York
and Massachusetts. If the five charter
members divided the twenty vacancies
according to merit fifteen of them wonld
probably 60 to those two States. What
would the South say to that? There are
groups CT States which have never pro-
duced a writer of note, having devoted
their energies to material pursuits. Yet
these States might think themselves
sighted If not one of the twenty-five were
chosen from their section.
If an academy is established it ought to
consist of several branches like the French
institution, which, besides the academy
proper, em braces an academy OF sciences
and an academy of inscriptions as we'll.
We have scientists in this country who
have attained the highest rank in their
branch, but are incapable of describing
their discoveries in elegant English. An
academy ought to provide niche tor
them.
1t will be time enough to consider these
points when Mr.. Spofford's bill seems
likely to PASS. Till then it will be enough
to admit on general principles that any
institution which romises to promote the
birth of an American school of letters de-
serves to be encouraged.