CHAPTERS

OF THE

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY·

OF THE

FRENCH ACADEMY.

WITH AN APPENDIX,

RELATING TO THE UNPUBLISHED MONASTIC CHRONICLE,

ENTITLED,

LIBER DE HYDA.

BY

EDWARD EDWARDS.

LONDON:

TRÜBNER AND CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW.

1864.

CONTENTS.

1. CHAPTERS OF THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE

FRENCH ACADEMY:-

CHAP.

I. SUMMARY.-VIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THE ACADEMY

IN GENERAL; AND OF ITS INFLUENCE ON FRENCH LITE-

RATURE. SOURCES OF THE HISTORY

II. THE FOUNDERS. THE HOTEL DE RAMBOUILLET.-THE

QUARREL CONCERNING THE CID

III. THE EARLY ELECTIONS AND EXCLUSIONS. THE EXPULSION

OF THE ABBE DE ST. PIERRE. THE ACADEMIC IMPEDI-

MENTS AND ULTIMATE TRIUMPH OF MONTESQUIEU.-

THE STRENGTH AND THE WEAKNESS OF VOLTAIRE

HIS SPEECH TO THE ACADEMY

IV. BUFFON; THE COURT DEVOTEE, PARADIS DE MONCRIF;

AND THE DISCOURSE ON STYLE. THE DISGRACES OF

THOMAS.-CHAMFORT AND MIRABEAU.-THE ACADEMY

DISSOLVED

V. RETROSPECTIVE GLANCE AT THE ACADEMIC PRIZES AND

THEIR RESULTS, UP TO THE REVOLUTIONARY DISSOLU-

TION.-CREATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF FRANCE, AND ITS

SUBSEQUENT REORGANIZATION BY NAPOLEON.-RETURN

OF THE OLD ACADEMICIANS WHO HAD SURVIVED THE

REVOLUTION

VI. Destutt de TRACY; HIS LIFE, PHILOSOPHY, AND ACADE-

MICAL RECEPTION. HIS MINOR WRITINGS AND DEATH.

VII. CHATEAUBRIAND AND NAPOLEON I. THE WRITER, THE

EXILE, THE ACADEMICIAN, AND THE STATESMAN.—ÂN

IMPERIAL AUDIENCE AT SAINT-CLOUD. THE PUBLIC

LIFE OF CHATEAUBRIAND DURING THE RESTORATION.-

THE MEMOIRS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE

-

VIII. NAPOLEON AND THE POETS. THE CAREER OF LEMERCIER.

-THE POETRY-PRIZE OF THE BELLE POULE EXPE-

DITION. THE ACADEMY UNDER THE RESTORATION.-

THE LAW OF JUSTICE AND OF LOVE".

-

IX. THE STRIFE OF CLASSICISTS AND ROMANTICISTS. THE

ACADEMICAL CANDIDATURES OF CASIMIR DE LA VIGNE,

AND OF VICTOR HUGO

X. ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE.-HIS WORK ON NORTH AMERICA.

-HIS RECEPTION AT THE ACADEMY. HIS OTHER

WRITINGS AND POLITICAL LIFE.

PAGE

77

$2

86

XI. ALFRED DE VIGNY AND THE COUNT DE MOLÉ

100

XII. THE COUNT DE MONTALEMBERT, AND THE ABBÉ LACOR-

DAIRE

104

XIII. THE GOBERT PRIZES FOR FRENCH HISTORY.--THE PRIZES

OF BARON DE MONTYON.

113

XIV. THE RECENT ELECTIONS. THE CANDIDATURE OF THE

EMPEROR. THE PAMPHLET OF BISHOP DUPANLOUP

II. THE EARLY BIOGRAPHERS OF KING ALFRED; WITH

SOME ACCOUNT OF AN UNPRINTED CHRONICLE

OF ANGLO-SAXON HISTORY.

I. CONCERNING THE BOOK OF HYDE ABBEY,

118

129

II. THE RELATIVE STATUS OF THE HISTORIANS OF ALFRED.-

HARMONY OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS OF HIS LIFE, AS

NARRATED (1) IN THE SAXON CHRONICLE; (2) IN THE

ANNALS ASCRIBED TO ASSER OF ST. DAVID's; (3) IN

THE BOOK OF HYDE ABBEY

III LIST OF AUTHORITIES QUOTED BY THE HYDE CHRONICLER.

IV. CONCERNING THE DOCUMENTS EXHIBITED IN THE HYDE

CHARTULARY-TEXT OF ALFRED'S WILL IN ANGLO-

SAXON AND IN MIDDLE ENGLISH.

136

161

165

I.

CHAPTERS OF THE BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

OF THE FRENCH ACADEMY.

1629-1863.

17