70 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
academies. He must there ‘‘learn his trade, then apply his 
skill where it suits him.’’* 
This sounds reasonable, but how does it work out? Intelli- 
gent, cultivated sympathy is the basis of all good work in art. 
The student has his culture, his intelligence and his sympathies 
forced into other channels ; the best years for learning are not 
devoted to the line of his real talent, and he is either handicapped 
for the race, or forced out of it altogether before his natural bent 
can recover from the academic incubus. 
In 1894, a number of students in Paris were so impressed by 
the necessity for a different state of things that I was deputed to 
go to the Director of the Jardin des Plantes to ask for a better 
chance to study the animals, and for access to the vast collections 
of priceless material in the way of skeletons, casts and pictures 
in the adjoining galleries. Prof. Milne-Edwards heard me atten- 
tively. His reply was brief and emphatic: 
‘“My friend, this is a menagerie, not an art school. We are 
not going to run in opposition to the Beaux Arts. We admit art 
students here as a favor, but art work is outside of our objects as 
a corporation.”’ 
Ireplied, ‘‘Am I to understand that under no circumstances 
will you give any better privileges to artists?’’ 
He answered: ‘‘If M. Fremiet} will take an active interest, 
and undertake to say what is wanted, and does not ask for any- 
thing that will entail additional expense, we will consider the 
matter.’’ 
I went to M. Fremiet. His reply may be thus condensed : 
‘“T hate teaching. JI cannot be bothered with administrative 
work. I have too much work of my own on hand to undertake 
fresh responsibilities at a place so remote from my home as the 
Jardin des Plantes.’’ 
I had one more resource. I went to M. Julian, the founder, 
manager and proprietor of the celebrated Julian Academy. He 
heard me with much interest, and said: 
‘“The subject is not only very important, but a very live one 
just now. Not long ago the director of the Jardin d’ Acclima- 
tation came to me andsaid: ‘The time is ripe for making Paris 
the headquarters of a great school of animaliers. We will place 
* These were Gerome’s words on the subject. 
+ The famous animal sculptor. 
