The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-19
FLYER UPSETS
TRADITIONS OF
FRENCH ACADEMY

Especial Gable to The Times Dispatch.
Paris. October 1s.-The French
Academy IS Just now living in fear and
trembling. Founded by Richelieu,
protected by Louis XIV, 1t Is neces-
sarily most conservative body and
jealous of It's privileges. When u ven
cradle academician was reminded the
other day that they must move with
tho time. he told this story:
one fine day in the time OF the
grand monarch, Cardinal d Estree be-
Ing in feeble health. asked permission
of his brother academ!cians to bring
in an easy chair. Thinking 1t a dam
gerous innovation. they refused The
cardinal appealed to the King. And
the great Louis sent forty chairs. so
as not to hurt the sensibilities of any
Of them"
Airmnn Knocks mt Door.
Now fonrfold innovation threatens
II. FIRST OF all. an airmnn seeks mem
bership Brinjoin des Moulinais Is a
distinguished aviator. and he does nor
see why he should not be n member
or the academy. The statutes state
the acanemy is open to all men or
franco who nave achieved great dis
JUNCTION IN any walk OF life. But they
nave never been interpreted in this
hDeral sense. Balzac. Frances great
est novelist, was refused admittance
we are in the age of iron and cleo
trlcity, say the airmans friends. and
Brinjoin des Moulinats Is ITO hoe, ~.
rescntative.
me second innovation comes from
Jean fichepln. the distinguished dra-
matlst The annual meeting of all the
Academicians will take place on Oc-
tober 20, and Richepin will discourse
lal1
science. economy, history and arts Will
oe represented there. 1t is under rho
hrst head that Richepin will trent
tango. He Will trace its ancient oriein
anu snow how 1t Is the parent OF fan
tastic movement. He and Madam
Richepin have written a NAV csiIad
range. which will soon be brought
out at the Marigny Theatre
Women Seek Admission.
AHother attempted academy innoya-
ton is that of the election OF NO
man very distinguished woman and
a poet me Countess Matthew de
Noaillcs The countess was formerly,
anna Elizabeth de Brancovan- Bibesco
Princess de Brancovan Her work ia
compared with that of Alfred de Mus
set ana Andre de Chenier She Is as
rich In fgurative language as Tom
OF the woods.
The Academicians have two fold
objection to her. The first Is that she
Is woman. Secondly. the countess
Identifies herself with nature and the
universe and is n Pantheist
Inc fourth innovation is an expect
ed communication from DR.. w. ]. Mavo
Away out in Minnesota are two SIR
seohs. Drs. Mayo, whose fame has
spread to that most conservative or
ganization, the French Academy. Az
a result. DR.. w. j. Mayo was elected
a foreign member OF the French In
stitute or Academy of Medicine
The Academicians could scarcely he
!leve their ears when they learned that
DR.. Mayo is the son of physician who
settled in Minnesota when Indians
were on the warpath. and that ne
had never studied in any of the re-
nowned centres of medical science like
Paris, Berlin or Vienna.
Ability IL Recognized.
Z But the venerable Academicians
could not gainsay the wonders work
ed by the Mayo brothers. AS the
Academy of Medicine is reputed to he
the most learned medical body in the
significant 1t is one of the five aca-
denies which go to make up the
French Institute founded by Cardinal
Richelieu. Foreigners hear most OF
the Academy of Letters because its
members are known as the Forty I'M
mortais. The five Academies con-
shutting the French Institute number
three hundred and sixty members, re-
presenting tho condensed wisdom OF
the world in their respective callincs.
Besides DR.. Mayo, / find only two
other Americans who have been
elected to corresponding membership
in the French Institute. One of these
was Benjamin Franklin. who was made
n member of the Academy Of Sciences
when lie was American representative
at the Court of Versailles The other
was Count Rumford. or plain BENJAMIN
born in Rumford Mass who
worked scientific wonders in England.
France and elsewhere hundred years
ago.
rDEEl tIN