716 THE CENTENNIAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE. 



posterity, but they were great in the eyes of their contemporaries. Let 

 us learn, if only for the sake of discretion, to respect superior men, 

 even though they do not happen to be Yoltaires nor Molieres. "We 

 can not and we must not deceive ourselves with regard to men of 

 genius; we may hesitate in our choice between men who are superior 

 without being great, such as I shall call distinguished men above the 

 average. It is an honor for the enlightened society of the seventeenth 

 century that they at once attached great importance to this reunion of 

 a few men of culture who occupied themselves neither with politics 

 nor with religion, but confined their attention exclusively to literature 

 and the products of the mind. This love of letters has remained one 

 of the characteristic features of our national taste. From the time the 

 public were admitted to the receptions of the French Academy they 

 have nocked there. When it opened its doors on such days to women, 

 in 1702, they also assembled there in crowds. The academy has been 

 careful not to abandon this practice, which assumed in time great 

 solemnity. A reception at the academy is emphatically a Parisian 

 event. One must have been present, one must have formed an opinion 

 of the two speeches, to appreciate it. Less importance is attached to 

 the most heated discussions in the Legislative Assembly. The famous 

 "coupole" becomes an instrument of torture; people are stifled there; 

 some lose their consciousness. These fainting women add to the 

 success of the two orators. They remind one of Spanish bull fights, 

 which are only interesting in the eyes of their enemies when a "torea- 

 dor" has been killed. 



Cardinal Richelieu heard people speak of Conrart's Society, and hav- 

 ing an instinct for what was great and permanent, he believed that 

 this association might become an institution. 



He offered Conrart's friends to give official recognition to the exist- 

 ence of their association, and this was about all he offered. "Honor- 

 able privileges," said Voltaire, " not one of them of any use ; the founder 

 procured for them not even a place of meeting." 



In fact, he rendered the academy no other service than that of not 

 ignoring it, but he thought, and everybody thought with him, that 

 since he did not ignore it, he controlled it. Many of Conrart's friends 

 hesitated. What they had looked for was liberty; instead, they were 

 offered subordination. Their resistance could not be of long duration, 

 however, for it was not customary to resist the King, nor the Cardinal, 

 who was the King. To refuse a favor which they offered was more 

 than resistance; it was disobedience. They yielded; they even offered 

 thanks. They exalted the King and his great minister, Richelieu, who 

 promised to protect them. 



There was still another obstacle to the official creation of the academy. 

 The Parliament also had a desire to resist. We know that registration 

 was at that time necessary to give efficacy to royal decrees. Parliament 

 could delay. It could make observations and even remonstrances. 



