ERNEST RENAN

First Article.

Ernest Renan, one of the greatest writers of our time, was born in Brittany in 1823. He was appointée! to the chair of Hebrew at the Collège de France on his return from his government mission to Phœnicia and Palestine, in 1860. His most famous works are: La Vie de Jésus, Origines du Christianisme, Études d'Histoire religieuse, Dialogues Philosophiques, Avenir de la Science, written in 1848, published in 1890, Souvenirs d'Enfance et de Jeunesse. He died on the 2d of October, 1892.

Page 1. — 1. The Collège de France, originally Collège des Trois Nations, is supposed to hâve been founded by François I., in 1530. It is directly under the Minister of Public Instruction, and independent of the University. The lectures are public and gratuitous. The Collège contains a variable number of chairs — actually (1896) forty-one. About one-third are dedicated to natural science, mathematics, chemistry, etc. ; the remainder, to Oriental languages, philosophy, philology, science of religion, political economy, etc. The Collège de France confers no degree, and has many professorships for sciences which are ne ver or seldom taught in French Facultés or at the University itself.

Page 2. — 1. Qu'importe . . . fait? What does it matter how their noses look ? i.e. What does their outward appearance matter ?

a. Combien . . . survit ! Allusion to Victor Hugo, who was then living in his little house, Rue d'Eylau, near the Arc de Triomphe. When Jules

Lemaître wrote this article,* January 10, 1885, Victor Hugo was still alive ; he died a few months afterwards, in May. The name of Rue d'Eylaii was then changed to that of Avenue Victor Hugo. The house is still to be seen.

3. Quand . . . fond : when one is smitten, deepîy smitten, and eut to tke quick, one can nevertheless reaiize tke faults of the beloved one. Etre pris : to be smitten, to be deeply in love with.

4. Ce . . . fâcheux : any unpleasant side of his ckaracter, any defect of his.

5. Tient . . . haleine : keeps our love alive, gives food to our love.