292 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



sembling him. And having now sufficiently proved 

 my good will, in default of talent, I stop, not wishing 

 to exceed the limits which I was, in a measure, bound 

 to lay down for myself. He who will succeed me, 

 following the more recent practice, will speak to you 

 hereafter as far hence, I assure you, as I can 

 make it with more fulness, competence, and charm 

 of the merits of the impartial historian, the honest 

 man, the great patriot, who was my predecessor. He 

 will doubtless express to the Academy better than 

 I can his gratitude as a newly elected member ; but 

 he will not have, at the bottom of his heart, more 

 respect than I have for the memory of Henri Martin, 

 or more gratitude towards you. In 1834, on entering 

 the Academy, M. Thiers said, ' I thank you for having 

 admitted me to a seat in this asylum of free and quiet 

 thought.' I thank you, in my turn, for having ad- 

 mitted me into this asylum of free and quiet thought? 

 although I do not promise to remain quietly seated in 

 my chair." 



EEPLY OF M. EENAN. 



M. Eenan, the Director of the Academy, spoke as 

 follows in reply: 



" Monsieur, Your address is charming, for it is 

 your very self. I may tell you that we were not quite 

 easy in our minds while you were preparing it, being 

 afraid lest, for once in your life, you should deem it 

 incumbent upon you to make a literary composition. 



