Omaha daily bee., 1910-11-27

aHE French academy was founded
BY Rchelieu In 1885 aud despite
the rage OF the late Alphonse
Daudet and tho scorn OF the
lalElA95 late Guy de Maupassant IL con.
So tinues to exercise an influence
" tho elevation OF public taste that IL dis
unety felt not only In France, but in every
civilized land, A member OF the French
academy is I'd the ordinary French citizen
what the captain OF a university foot ball
team is 70 the ordinary English or Amerl-
can school boy An election 10 the French
academy Is usually mentioned by every
imPorNnt newspaper in the world
40 everybody knows, membership in the
french academy Is restricted 10 forty; In
the American academy there are fifty
members which, as Prof. Brander
Matthews, himself distinguished academl-
clan, has pointed out. ls not too large
when we remember the population OF the
United States, and the additional fact that
In the American academy recognition Is
given to music and the fine arts, a. we'll
as to literature
In order to become eligible for election
to the American academy one must first
be a member OF the National Institute OF
Arts and Letters. This society was
organized at a meeting Of the American
social Science association in 1898 The
qualification for membership IL stated in
the constitution: 1T shall be notable
achievement in art music or literature"
The number IN the institute is limited 20
go, and election is invariably by ballot
In order 20 assure the dignity OF the
academy, seven men were taken from
among the members OF the institute I'm
1901, whose duty Il was to elect others
These seven were Messrs HowelIs st
Gaudens, Stedman, La Fargo, Clemens.
Hay and MaeDowell-an excellent choice
This number was progressively raised to
fifty,
There can be no doubt that the Amer-
can academy fairly represents Americas
living leaders in literature, music and the
fine arts; and the death roll Is impressive
testimony to the care with which members
of our academy have been chosen-Aldricn,
Clemens. Crawford, Glider Gilman, Hale,
Harris. Hay, Howard, Julia Ward Howe,
jefferson, Lea, Mitchell, Moody, Norton,
schurE, Stedman, in literature; Homer,
Mcdowell and Ward in art and music,
Memorial Meeting.
There Is 70 be a Joint meeting OF the
American academy and OF the National
Institute At the New theater, in New
York on December s and D. on the
first day William Dean ISwells, the
president OF the academy, will take the
chair az the morning meeting, and Henry
Van Dyke, president Of the institute, will
preside at the afternoon session The gold
medal OF the institute, FOR distinction IN
the department Of history or biography,
Will be formally presented at this Decem-
Der meeting on the morning of Deem
Der there will be a commemoratiop
meeting, at which three papers will be
read, each dealing with the life and work
of five deceased academlcians IN the ordeN
OF their election" ST Gaudens. stedman.
Clemens, Hay and Mcdowell will be the
subject Of an address by Brander Mat
thews; McKim. Norton. Ward, Aldrich
and jefferson will be discussed by w. NJ.
Sloane; Glider Homer SEIZURE, Harris and
Hale will be commemorated by Hamilton
w Mabie.
Achievements OF Members.
In discussing individually the present
members of the American academy. It IS
safe To say that the president William
Dean Howells, is perhaps, Of all living
Americans, the man most clearly entitled
20 his seat, lie Is our foremost repre-
sentative in creative literature and his
literary career has extended over exactly
fifty years. He has received honorary
degrees from oxford, Yale, Harvard.
Columbia and Adelbert He has had
more influence on the output Of American
fiction than any other living man, and In
simplicity, dignity and beauty OF character
he Is In almost ideal representative,
Theodore Roosevelts publications in the
fields OF history, biography and outdoor
Me have been numerous and notable. The
academy would seem lonesome without
slim. as the world seemed lonesome with
nut Daniel Webster
10 Is rather curious, IN view Of the long
and Intimate friendship between tho two.
and the constant coupling OF their names
in literary gossip. that in the alphabetical
list Of the National institute Henry James
follows William Dean HoWells Like
Whistler. we can claim him only by birth
and partly by oducauoni his home and
his heart are IN England. But his novels
interpret American lie and character and
no Is their world figure.
Prose fiction is also represented by Mr.
George W. Cable Mr. Thomas Nelson
Page, Mr.. +. HopAinson smith and Dr.
Henry Van Dyke, though the last two
gentlemen are deservediy eminent in other
uelds as wen, No one could possibly OBJ
ject 20 the inclusion Of these four names.
although there arc other American novel
lists that seem worthy OF admission. Per
haps these will become academicians at
some future date. ] refer particularly TO
owen Wister, Booth Harrington and Rob
ert Herrick. which does not By any means
exhaust the list Of eligibles,
Among men Of literary eminenee rather
than hlEh-olass creative power are found
John niselow one OF the most respected
and beloved ~ an living Americans. He
wiz be IS years old this month. and hs
srcat heart IS agloU with unquenchable
enthusiasm Ills discovery and publication
~ the original manuscript OF BENJAMIN
frankhn's autobiography constitute an