New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-30

of the Institute vetoed the proposal To
prevent any further attempts in this
direction. the new body took up the cor
rection of the Dictionary. against the
protest Of Morellet surviving Acad-
, emican. who cherished the hope Of the
ultimate survival Of the old institution.
His protest was unheeded. Of course. The
National Institute became the Institute
de France in 1906. and, in the following
year. the Institute des Sciences ct des
Arts. For little while ii was also
known as the Institute Imperial but
since the Restoration il has been known
again as the Institute de France. which
is its name to-day. Louis XVIII reor-
ganized the Institute by royal ordinance
in 1916 re-ostablishing the Academic
FRANCHISE as the first of its four con-
stituent bodies 1t was in reality new
academy. but the fact that its member
ship included a number of survivors from
the body suppressed in 1885 gives JUS
tice to the claim that it was but con-
tinuation Of the old one and its long
traditions.
Mr.. Robertson explains fully the COM
plicatcd organization Of the institute de
France. the INTERPOLATION Of its constitu-
ont bodies. the difference between an
Academician and an officer dc rAcad-
6mle. the various prizes awarded, etc.
In his earlier pages he touches fully upon
the Intervention i'm the affairs Of the
Academy &c its royal patrons. often at
the instigation OF ecclesiastical author
ity. He traces the influence Of the ladies
&C the eighteenth century salons on the
elections Of its members but also In sup
port Of its labors. He registers eXpul-
sions, among them that Of one member
who cribbed a French dictionary Of his
own from the labors OF his colleagues,
and he traces the origin Of the term I'm
mortals" He explains the representation
of the aristocracy in the Academy,
whence the fautcuils to emphasize equal
ity, and enters into a mass Of detail,
always historically opposite, and often
entertaining. especially when he reviews
its long succession Of detractors:
To wind up this collection Of opirions
with one from the album OF an unnamed
| philosopher and French Academcan: "Ev-
cry body pOkes fun at the Academy, and ev-
erybody wants TO be of IT. What it ought
| to have embroidered on our coats. instead
! Of the famous green palms, should be the
grapes Of the fable
In his preface Mr.. Robertson informs
us that this history is the outcome-a
| by product, so to speak-of an examina-
| ton made by him into the records Of the
| FlOrentne Academy Of the Crusca, the
! French Academy and the Spanish Lam
guagc Academy as dictionary makers,
and into the influence OF recognized ma
| tional authorities on national orthog-
! raphy This linguistic interest is trace
| able i'm his preoccupation throughout
with tho Dictionary of the French Acad-
| phases 81 its connection with and in
| nuoncc upon the artistic and cultural
progress Of France Mention has already
| been made in this review Of his adequate
| treatment of the eighteenth century
| philosophers i'm the Academy, but Of its
! long and close association with the
/ French drama he Says very little. once
| he has passed the Golden Age and its
masters. That he has lost an interest
| ing opportunity here cannot be doubted
/ for the historic bond between the two is
, recognized In the inscription on MoliAre 8
, bust. Rein ne manque 81 gloire. n
manqusit Ia n6tre. which by the way.
Mr. Robertson docs not quote. II is
worse than disappointing, further. 10 find
in the Alphabetical list Of the Academic
| membership the Younger Dumas dis
missed with the statement that among
his romances and plays was lie Dame