The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-21
Prophetic MEMORIALS MEET.
a Movement on Heot TO Duplicate In America
the French Academy.

a Movement on Poot 20 Duplicate in America
the French Academy.
With the purpose Of cultivating o crop Of
American ImmortAls on tho lines of the French
Academy, the Comparative Literature Society,
In assembly at Carnegie Lyceum yesterday
morning. laid plans for . National Academy of
Letters. This academy is to have its centre in
this city, but It's Influence 10 to spread over the
towns of Boston. Philadelphia, Washington.
Albany. skidsville. Mass, Manunka Chunk. Pa.
and other Eastern communities. and will even
take IN such waste places as Chicago. Cincin-
natl, and st. Louis. The plans have been mainly
the work of Prof. Charles Sprague-Smith, who
lectures on scandinavian romance and other
topics of the day.
A good-sized audience was present when
Charles Dudley Warner, the advisory coun.
sellor, opened the meeting with a talk on Tho
Need OF a Literary Institute" Mr.. Warner said
that what was needed for tho literary and intel
lectual development Of the nation was an insti.
tuition which should bring together In o COM
mon cause and for common interest men OF
thought. Such an institution he believed to DO
practicable. and he thought that q mighty effect
for good would be felt upon the national litera-
tnre from its foundation. Mr., Merle st. Croix
Wright then outlined the work for the coming
year. The last speaker was Prot. Charles
sprssTe-fH% , shId sff &c Ss@t! and director of tho
"There 10 a guiding star set before us. which
we must follow. The work wo are TO do can be
done in no other way, Friends, OF mine tell me
arc not doing Il on broad lines, We must stcsd;
extension of a National Academy OF Letters.
which shall include kindred spirits all over the
country. There could be Q general gathering
once a year, or more often. for interchange OF
The programme for tho coming year Is divided
into Saturday morning and Tuesday evening
conferences. The morning conferences are on
The Dawn Of Literature" and the speakers
vii be Pref ES.7 ThSpS; Wilson, PrPt. y. s, shaler.
Prof. @. Fl. Toy. Prof. Thomas Davidson, Prof.
A. v. W. Jackson, DR.. Talcott Williams, Prof.
Charles Sprague Smith. and Prof. ID. G. Bren-
ton. The Contemporary Drama will be tho
and the speakers will DO Prof. Adolphe Cohn'
Prof. Luis A. Baralt, Prof; Kuno Francke, and
Prof. Charles Sp,aRue-Smith. In it's prospectus
the society announces It's purposes thus:
recognition of the unity Of ali iiteratSupsoo. and
that only through the comparative study OF its
supreme monuments can the truths as to life
and as to art forms. which literature interprets,
become known. Upon this foundation 1t aspires
needs and conditions. that shall confer ali the
benefits upon our language aud literature which
the French Academy, and the Sorbonne on its
literary side. afford to. those or France. while
avoiding the dangers OF decentralization and
the earneStncss Of purpose of Its members. the
society invites all lovers OF good literature, all
who aspire for our country the worthiest attain.
ments In this field. to membership and active CO.
Among those active In the work of the society
are w. b. Howells. Thomas Wentworth Higgin.
son, Richard Henry Stoddard, Horace Howard
Furness. and Prof. Charles sp, a~gue-Smith.