THE FRENCH ACADEMY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6534, 4 February 1882, Page 6

THE FRENCH ACADEMY.

A telegram in the London Telegraph of Dio. 9 give* a picture of an election to vacancies in the famoua French Academy: Cnuiual interest attached to this after* noon’s meeting of the French Academy, the “immortal*” having asaembled for the apeoial purpose of electing successors to MM. Duvergier de fiauranne, Littr£ and Dufaure, whose deaths have left a void fa the literary world that it ia no diacreditto their more fortunate colleague* to aay will not easily be filled. There had been a good deal of (peculation aa to the chance* of the reapective candidates for the vacant chairs, who, I may as well explain, did not present themselves en iloa\ but in every case named the place which they bad aspired to occupy. Thus there were four candidate* for the firat chair, Jive for the aeoond, and tour for the third. A companion borrowed from the rival systems of political elections may make this plan more clear. It was a scripta d'arrondinement rather than a icrutin de Hsie, with this difference, that the voter* in every instance were identically the aame. To-day only 83 Academician* mustered at the poll, there being fourabaenteea, namely, MM. de' Falioux, de Laprade, and Charles Blanc, who are all ill, and M. Emilie Olivier, who ia at the present moment in Borne. The absolute majority was thus 17, and it wan necssaary that thia majority should be attained ere the candidate first on each respective list could be declared lawfully elected. Four gentlemen appeared to contest M. Duvergier de Haoranne’s succession. They were MM. Manuel, Sally-Pradbomme, Ooppoe, and de Bornier, but the first-named was decidedly the favourite, being warmly supported by MM. Victor Hugo, Jules Simon, and Ernest Legauv6, besides being extremely popular with many other Academicians. The fortune of the ballot, however, declared against him. M. Bully-Prudhomme headed the list fa each of the three fours de tervtiu, the last time with nineteen votes, and waa consequently pronounced the victor. He is a poet of merit, who was much admired by Sainte-Beuve fa his day.

For M. Littre’a chair the candidates were MM. Pasteur, Janet, Oherbulliez, Dj Mazade and De Bornier, all well known fa the world of philosophy, science, and letters. M. Pasteur simply walked over the course, being returned with twenty votes at the very first lour de tcrutin. For M. Oufanre’s succession MM. Maquet, Oherbulliez, De Mazade and De Bornier, the last three of whom had alio been candidates for M. Littr£’s chair, presented themselves, and thia time the courage of M. Oherbulliez waa rewarded, for, after a warm struggle, comprising no less than six tour* de torutin, he emerged victorious, with the regulation absolute majority of seventeen. It was two o'clock before the three elections had come to an end. Mgr Ferrand, Bishop of Antun, had j>een mentioned as a possible candidate for M. Dufaure’s chair, for which he stood a very fair chance. Bat it seems that the prelate bad scruples about being received by M. Henan, the author of the vie de Jesus, whose turn it would have been to fulfil this office. At the last moment he withdrew. M. Renan has, however, declared that he would hare had much pleasure in replying to the Bishop, and in offering him a sincere welcome. It was Mgr Perrand’e retirement which led to the re-appearance as candidates for the third chair of some of those who bad failed fa the previous contests. A few words fa conclusion respecting the. positions and achievements of the victors of to-day. M. SollyPrudhomme has published two volumes of fine poems; M. Pasteur is a celebrated chemist, and a member of the Academy of Sciences ; andM. Oherbulliez has contributed some admirable romances and studies on Germany to the Benue de* Denx Monde*.