The Washington herald., 1907-12-29

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suffered the fate Of most other estab-
lishments of the kind
Faculty Declines to Swear.
This was augmented the more
because the faculty was composed
OF clergy. who declined to give
the oath OF allegiance 10 what was
known as the Civil Constitution. and,
while fortunately the library remained
intact and undisturbed. the building un-
derwent many vicissitudes. until Ma
poleon finally turned it over to the In
stitute of France, TO serve as its home.
After the Bourbon restoration. on the
downfall Of Napoleon. Louis XVIII de-
creed the revival of the former names Of
the academies. suppressed by the Revo-
luton. assigning them to the four classes
into which Napoleon had divided the In
stitute. The first one was the Academic
Francaise, the second the Academic des
Inscriptions ct Bellies Lettres, the third
the Academic des Sciences. and the
fourth the Academic des Beaux Arts.
Louis Philippe Adds Academy.
In March. lS33 King Louis Philippe
added a fifth academy to the Institute.
namely. that Of Moral and Political Sci
ences. This academy is divided into FIVE
sections, namely. philosophy. morale,
legislation and Jurisprudence. political
economy, and history. Each Of the five
academies has its own special jurisdic-
ton and work, with special funds and
secretaries. who are appointed for life.
with an official residence on The prem
ises. various allowances, and salary
Of 1.000 francs
Matters concerning the Institute as a
whole IRE managed by a committee,
chosen in equal numbers from each Of
the academies. and once a year a gen
eral meeting Of an OF the members OF
the various academies takes place. in
October. IS25. the anniversary Of the or
ganization Of the Institute All the ex-
penses Of the Institute and OF the acad-
emies, including an annual stipend OF
300 francs 20 each member. are betrayed
by large yearly subsidy, voted for the
purpose by the national treasury. in ad-
dition TO which the Institute owns rich
endowments. such as. for instance, the
domain and palace OF Chantilly
Academies Older Than Institute.
OH course. the academies. as I have
pointed out above. are considerably old
er than the Institute Thus the oldest
OF them All IS The Academic Franchise,
which came into existence in 1879. when
certain number OF literary men com
menced 70 meet at Paris. at the house
Of NJ COnrard, for the purpose Of dis
cussing literary matters.
The fame Of these meetings though
the members We're bound over 10 secrecy.
at length reached the ears OF Cardinal
Richelieu. who. prompted partly by lit
erary aspirations and partly, too. by be-
lief in the policy Of conciliating men Of
learning and letters. offered 20 incOrp0-
rate them by letters patent
Louis NH Grants Letters.
These were granted by Louis XIII IN
l635. IN which 1t was set forth that the
corporation. which was 10 take the name
or the Academic Franchise" and that
It's principal function should be the
purifcation OF the French language" and
10 labor with all care and diligence 20
give certain rules 20 the language" and
TO cleanse ths language from the i'm
purities which 10 has contracted in the
mouths Of the common people. from the
jarson Of the lawyers. from the mis-
usages OF ignorant CoUrtiers. and from
the abuses OF the pulpit"
Nowadays the Academic Francaise is
devOting itE attention 10 the compilation
OF a standard dictionary Of the French
language, which. al the actual rate Of
progress. possibly may be finished about
"A couple OF centuries hence, since every
word IS the subject of prolonged discus
sion. and fifty years have not brought
them beyond the fourth letter OF the al
phabet
Academy's Value Is Discussed.
Opinions differ IS to the value OF the
academy to French literature. and there
are many who insist that. while it may
have raised the general standard OF writ
ing. it has, by its intense conservatism,
tended 20 hamper and crush originality
Certain il is that some Of the greatest
lights OF French literature have been ex-
cluded from its portals, which have been
thrown wide open 20 medioCrities But
with all that, Il enjoys a prestige, both
at home and abroad. superior TO that of
any organization OF the kind in the
world. As such II IS entitled TO pro-
found respect on both sides of the At
lantic.
The Academy Of Inscriptions and Bellies
Lettres owes its origin 10 the French
statesman Colbert. and to the fostering
care afterward Of Secretary Of State de
Portchartrain, and consisted. in its in
ception. Of a committee Of the Academic \
Franchise, specially charged with the
duty OF furnishing inscriptions, devices.
and legends for the statuary. the me-
MORALS. and for the medals struck for
Ia ,as.. r@F~
deur Of Louis XIV.
Dates from 1901.
It really dates from I70l. when its char
ter was first issued under the name OF
Royal Academy OF Inscriptions and Med
ais To-day 1t devotes its attention to
research. and IS responsible /
for the translation Of many ancient
documents. European and especially ORR
entail which would otherwise. througa
ack Of means and Of enterprise. have re- /
NAMED unrevealed TO ordinary readers
The Academy Of Fine Arts was founded [
also by Louis XIV in 1913, under the title /
IF Academic Royale des Beaux Arts. and /
S composed of the most eminent paint /
ers sculptors, architects. enEravers. and |
From among its members is !
selected the director Of the French I
school at Rome, and painting, sculpture. /
and music owe a deep debt of gratitude /
% this most useful of all the academies. /
Colbert and Louis Responsible.
Colbert and his sovereign, Louis XIV, /
ire responsible for the creation Of the 4
Academic OF Sciences. the charter Of /
which is dated 1866. and which met for 4
he first time on the I'D Of December Of /
hat year, IN the presence of le grand \
nonarque, in the library OF the palace of \
versailles. To-day it distributes prizes 4
or inventions each year to the. tune OF 4