The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-28

I
rived more pleasure from modest pntrl
nony than other men from splendid for
tunes. Under his roof was laid the FONDA.
tion OF what afterwards became the Acad
elhe Franchise. Mr.. Vincent explains tha,
inc reason for holding the meetings here
instead OF at the Hotel de Rambouilet was
tnat It's pomp, glitter aud maEnlncence was
not the hnpplest atmosphere for those
scholars and writer's whose estate was hut
humble. 'If one is poor, II Is difficult Ia
ne completely at ease In the presence Of
wealth which shows that human nature
was much the same in the Seventeenth cen.
fury as 1t is today.
Inc hrst meetings were held once a week.
not at night. but In the afternoon. the
streets OF Paris being dangerous at any
/ time and especially so after dark. Original.
" the membership was only nine. and the
author says Of them; 1--WE can understand
Win how great pleasure the members NJ
tne Old circle renewed at Conrartis house
tnelr talks on literature; how they enioyed
,ne comfort pnmixed with dlsmaying opu.
fence that surrounded them, and how. after
.he ancient and brutal manner Of their kind,
they reconciled themselves for a season TO
the absence OF that sex which most disci,
pines when 1t most charms"
But the little company was not long per.
mitted to enjoy the freedom and informality
which was so congenIal and SO conducive IN
spontaneous thought and unprecedented dis.
cusslon. Their numbers grew to twelve
ana one of these last was Rols Robert who
was known as IAN agent" of the cardinal
IL was not TO he expected that RIcheIleu.
whose conscience nothing escaped. wonld
long remain in ignorance of any concerted
movement, however laudable and innocent
oil political bias lie speedily made known
10 the members. through Bols Robert. his
wish 10 learn whether these gentlemen
would not become body corporate and
holu their meetings under public authority
lie offered his protection and promised TO
establish their company by letters patent.
When this proposition was laid before his
associates by Bols Robert dismay over
whelmcd them. for they realized that there
but remained a choice Of evils. If they do
clined, the cardinal could suppress their
meetings; II they accepted, their golden age
was at an end forever They discussed the
situation ut length, and finally yielded to
what was virtually Inevitable. Bois Robert
was instructed to thank his emlnence most
humbly for the honor he had done them
and to accept for the academy his august
protection Thus was publicly organized
that institution which yet remains the court
of highest appeal in the world of French
letters. In concluding what must he but
an inadequate review of Its origin and de-
velopment, it is especially Interesting to
note the authors estimate Of the social con
dltlons prevailing then He says: ut
was an age Of sinecures and pensions; an
age in which men were often promised and
sometimes paid. absurdy large sums for
the doing of quite unImportant things. The
whole fabric Of life was mixed and strange;
thread OF gold woven into commonest fust-
ian. Life was compounded of extremes,
surprises, theatrical denouements. This is
why the Seventeenth century is so pie.
turesque"
Ours Is not considered picturesque era.
yet what was written of the French mon
archy 300 years ago might stand for the
American Republic today.
Mr. vlncents narrative of the evolution
of the famous dictionary Is frightened and
diversified by many personal anecdotes of
the distinguished collaboratorS. He very
clearly emphasizes the difference In their
estimate of what such stand volume
should he and that held by the dictionary
makers of our time. In conclusion he ex-
presses his belief In the advantages to be
derived from brief studies In any direction,
belief which could have no foundation
and better substantiation than In his own
admirable and helpful work.
r. NJ. Pollard