—The French Academy has been made the butt of more sarcastic sallies than any other institution of equal distinction and respectability. Some of these have been directed against it as a body, such as Piron's epitaph on himself:
"Ci-gît Piron qui ne fut rien,
Pas même Académicien."
Others were levelled at the members individually. Of this sort are the lines on La Bruyère:
"Quand La Bruyère se présente,
Pourquoi faut-il crier haro?
Pour faire un nombre de quarante
Ne fallait-il pas un zéro?"
Who was the author of the latter epigram? Since the days of La Bruyère it has been used as a standing gibe against all newly elected Academicians, whose names could be substituted for his, with a due regard to rhythmical propriety.
HENRY H. BREEN.