Art and Life Volume 5, No. 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 edition. Excerpt: ...of oblivion when dead, the fusillade of satirical humour has banished the counter-seal, with its too ambitious motto, for corporate literary productions at least, from Academical publications. Was there any real Academy in France prior to the Academie Francaise? Leaving out of consideration the assemblies of literati held in the palace of Charlemagne toward the end of the eighth century and the Floral Games of Toulouse, instituted in 1323 but not patented as an Academy until 1694, together with sundry other obscure provincial literary associations partaking of the academical character, it is not improper to speak of Baif's Academy, founded in 1570, during the reign of Charles IX, for the cultivation of music and poetry, and of the Academy of the Palace--Baif's Academy revived under Henry III, after a period of dormancy--so-called because it held its meetings in the kings closet, as the only French predecessors of the French academy; but the placing of the compilation of a dictionary of the language at the behest of Richelieu, in the fore front of the Academy's programme of labours, marks the Florentine Crusca as its real prototype. The rules adopted by the Academy were signed by Richelieu and sealed with his arms, and countersigned by Charpentier, his secretary. With certain modifications in practice they still nominally constitute the Academy's regulations. Richelieu's influence is shown in the very first article. For though the words "Monsetgneur the Protector" may be, and in the light of events perhaps should be, interpreted abstractly, yet, literally they seem to imply that the Academy did not look forward to a life beyond the term of that of Cardinal Richelieu, its founder; and, actually, as will be seen later, it barely...