The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
PAEIS GOSSIP.
Zoin Mt the ~Acndemy-Ths Meaning or en-,
Rernhnrdt nnd AntoIno Mlnnirestntiona

once more the other day for the SURFACES OF tn,
members OF tho French Academy. The OBJ
stinacy with which tho genial author Of
"Rougon-Macquart" appears b"fore the Acad,
DENY every time that there is q vacancy Il
we'll known. This timo the business was to re
place Alexandra Dumas and Leon Say. Their
death deprived the Academy of the most illus
trious among the few men OF real value which
constitute the reason for.its existence. 1t wal
thought that tho institute would endoavor "a
seat an incontestable illustration OF letters.
The occasion was excellent to show some graft.
tudo for tho literary efforts, visibly. too via
ibly. according to some, made by NJ. lola dur
ing the pnst few years to overcome the AGA.
dsmical projudices. But at least, IL II was
deemed necessary to make him wait n little
longer, people imagined that the choice of the
1mmortals would fall upon NJ. Bccque, the
dramatic author of the last quarter OF n cen
tury who has established himself in the most
original manner in the drama. tho nuthor Of
tho 'CorbeauX' and OF tho "Parisienne."
That was the general belief in literary circl ss
but what poor judges of tho Academy thoy are
Rccentdtaths, the presence In the ranks OF that
body Of three members who have not vet de-
livcred their reception speeches. and a few alb
sentees reduced to twenty-nine the number Of
voters.
oh hho HISb NOto VI anuTC lneuTlct was
elected by eighteen votes TO the chair of the late
Alexandra Dumas, seven votes being given to
lmbert dc st. Armand ard only four to Zola.
Also, on the first vote NJ. Albert vandal was
elected by twenty-four votes to the chair of the
late Leon Say. Emile Xoln receiving three
votes, and NJ. de st. Armand one vote only.
the candidacy of such a powerful artist as
NJ. Xola thrown down In this way can only be
explained by old spite in the literary struggle
and the contempt. so long manifested. OF the
Accidental Institution. But the absolute ig-
noring of NJ. Henry Becaue seems the most In
exp phi cable blnndcr that n society pretending to
represent French literature could commit. 1t
should also be remembered that a respectable
number of those whose writing has given rea-
son for pride In French literature have never
succeeded in crossing the threshold of that
learned assemhly and never thought It worth
their while TO make the effort.
Among the romance writer's. without count
ing Bal2ac, whose case was remarkable enough,
and merely referring TO the living. or those
who we're alive only yesterday. Flaubc~t,
Barley d'Aurevilly. villers de lIsle Adam,
and the Goncourts were neglected by the Acad-
emy. and everybody remembers the resist
ance which Alphonse Daudet always made to
the advance OF the company" Every body
that is called upon TO recruit itself by the
votes of its cwn members runs the risk OF be-
coming the representation Of narrow and
purely personal interests. what we call here a
chapel" and that is precisely the funda-
mental vice of the ~Institut Of France.
A clever writer who died this very year, NJ.
Arsene Iloussayc. published in The Forty
first Chair the names of the i.lustrious for
gotten by the Academy. He might also have
given the nomenclature, infinitely moro nu-
merous. of chose that 1t elected who have
been completely forgotten by postcrity. Ger
tainly the son of that pamphlctcer wae ad-
mitted this year with an extremely small
amount of baggage. Notwithstanding the bit
ter lines of his father on the lmmort ais. But
the son moved in society. aid gave evidence
OF his intellectual submission. Now. lola and
Becaue do not go into society. The latter has
little taste for It, and the constant occupa-
ton OF the former leaves him no time. even II
he had the desire. to minGle with the high
toned. And this explains Tie recent election
of NJ. Theuriet. an estimable and gentle ro-
nance writer. whose numerous works can GER
tainly hurt nobody. and of NJ. Vandal. whose
existence the pablo has JUS t been made aware
of BY the Acade.Ay. while lola received four
votes. less than he ever got before. and Bccquo
was ignored. Bu;. If l were to attempt
to prophecy. l would express the belief thai
the chances are TOR the latter IN the future.
He has made very little noise. and the Acad-
emy. like all old women. cannot tolerate any
noise, except that OF Its own children.
plcte strangers TO the delight OF adE-iring. the
greatest 10y OF all. after that of creating. 1t
who had the singular idea OF announc. |
lag a few days before the ecademical elections n
works OF N. Zola aud containing the most
risky and realistic citations. NJ. Zola, inter
be necessary to know if in Collecting IN no NV
works La Terre.' 'Germinal.' Mana &c,
all the ugly passaaes the author of that
q rIoraiizing act that would win for him the
laurels or 4 grateful country. or if he was
and contentrd himself modestly with ~nroftiug
by a %conplete edition of all that constituted
dsS1 ng'q IN tne l ST5a!T ease E' Of hm my T nas .,m EY!;
my publisher. and ms I forssaw tho
case and spoke of it with my friend Fasquclle.
spare nothing TO get his rights respected. AL
personally | remain outside OF tho dis
NJ. L. and his publisher according
10 law for plagiary and. if necessary. TO seize
The volumes already in the market"
And as the intcrvie wer spoke OF the possible
effect OF the announcement OF such q publication
the members of III, Academy, ". Zola said;
You: are joking. You cannot believe that
such. n publication can have any effect upon
people who know my works and have read
sale of my works is due in n great measure to
the pamphlets and articles of those detractors
who ~fnolishly imarine that It is sufficient to
prejudice the public against me by warning
them against the so-called accumulated filth
In each one of my works"
Yes. but the Academy"
"Ah, the Academy" exclaimed the master.
you only knew how much and here he
his shoulders.
Have we seen the last OF the academical
" of NJ. Tola? At all events the cele-
romance writer seems to have wanted
TO enter the arena, and that only y few days
the. "cndemical elections. and this
would not DO wanting in bluster II the aathor
of Mana" had ever any serious Illusions in re-
gnrd To the amiable disposition OF tho I'm
mortals." something that is far from being
demonstrated.
As a matter OF fact. Xola presided the other
day ut the banquet given u Nj. Antoine. the
founder Of the free thentre and the recent man
ager Of the OdGon. We have had the Bern
hardt manifestation at which all those who
owe TO ier In some measure their success aud
their fortune. the favored ones with tho the.
at-o and with the critics, the Ancients. whore
works have been scattered on the surface of
the two continents by the marvellous and In
artist. Toasted their most pre-
ciors, collaboration. who. IL IL said. is now about
to quit the Renaissance and to begin again her
iours through Amc.i'a. but we have also had
the Antoine manifestation, in which every
thing that Is young" in the tendency OF the
mind, the seekers, ieusted Antoine in q mod
bunuuGt at ten francs a head. but ut which |