The New York herald., 1922-01-15
TO COMMEMORATE
MOLIERE'S BIRTH
Tercentenary Will Be OBJ
served Here Late in
April.

The Molere tercentenary will be OBJ
served throughout the United States late
in April. 1t was announced yesterday at
Columbia University by DR.. Nicholas
Murray Butler. chairman Of the commit
tee of arrangements for the Moliere cell
ebration. The other members of the
committee are Augustus Thomas. play
wright. and Brander Matthews, profess
sor of dramatic literature at Columbia.
In New York a celebration will be
held under the auspices Of the American
Academy Of Ar's and Letters. In Chi
cago Boston, Washington. Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh events will be staged.
The cooperation of the French Govern
ment has been secured. Two members
of the French Academy. M. Maurice
Donnay dramatist, and NJ. Andre Chav-
rillon. critic, have bcen designated to
represent France.
Tomorrow formal fetes in commemo-
ration OF the birth OF Moliere will Le
held in Paris. The American Academy
Of Arts and Letters, which Is participant
ing in this celebration. yesterday sent
through its secretary. Robert Underwood
johnson, former Ambassador to Italy, a
cable message OF congratulation.
Jean Baptiste Poquelin, known TO the
stage and to the world as Moliere. was
born In Paris January Is. 1922. and died
there February II. 1878. He was grad
uated from the Jesuits' College at Paris
and began to devote his time to acting
and dramaturgy at the age of 30. Mo-
Heres comedies made him known and
read throughout the world. They In
clude Les precieuses ridicules." "Ecole
des maris," "Ecole des femmes." lie
marriage force" lie Misanthrope." lie
medecin malgre iui,' "Tartuffe, Am
phitryon." ''L'Avsre." lie bourgeois.
gentilhomme," Les fourberics de Sea-
pin," Les femmes savants' and lie
malade imaginaire."
The celebration here will take place on
April "a and 25. the date having been
postponed to meet the convenience OF the
representatives of the Academic Fran
caise. On the evening of April "a
public dinner is to be served In the din
ing room Of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, with
the president Of the American Academy,
William Milligan Sloane. as toastmaster.
On the following day there will be for
NAL literary exercises at o'clock in the
afternoon. Representatives Of the French
Academy will deliver addresses.
Messre Donnay and Chevrillon VIII
take part i'm n Founders Day celebration
at the Carnegie Institute. Pittsburgh, on
April 81 and Is. and later will visit Bos-
ton. The French Ambassador Jules j.
Jusserand, is in charge OF the washing
ton arrangements. In sending two MEM
hers as delegates to the Moliere cele-
bration in the United States. yesterdays
announcement said. the purpose OF the
Academic Franchise is to strengthen the
bonds of friendship between the fnteilec-
/ tual leaders OF France and those OF the
United States and to stimulate study OF
French literature In American schools
and colleges. The coming OF NJ. Donnay
and M. Chevrillon is described as an
event of first Importance in the literary
world and their achievements are set
forth as follows In a statement given out
yesterday by the American Academy OF
Arts and Letters:
| M. Maurice Donnay. dramatist. mem
ber of the Academic F'rancaise and Com
mander of the Legion OF Honor, was ed
ucated at the lycee OF Vanves, the lycee
Louis lie Grand and rEcole Centrale des
! Arts et Manufactures. lie Is the author
Of "Nolere" and 'Le Menage de Mo-
Iierc." a comedy in five acts. After un-
usual success In the theaters OF Mont
martre, his comedies were greeted with
favor in the more serious theaters Oh
the Partisan boulevards. The brilliant
talent of this newcomer pleased and as
tonished the audiences.
Andre Chevrillon. author and critic
was educated at rEcole Asacienne, the
lycec Louis lc Grand and the Sorbonnc.
| AZ the age of % he was appointed pro-
feesor OF English at the naval academy
at Brest. In 1889 he was appointed 10
the faculty Of letters In the University OF
Lille He visited the United States In
/ 1xa1 and 1899.