Chapter 882: Chapter 13 The New Era of France
The sunlight penetrated the classical French-style building of the Paris Academy of Sciences, spilling over the solemn and ancient eaves, pilasters, pedints, and relief sculptures, like golden strings plucking the lody of ti.
When Arthur stepped into the French Academy, gathering the top talents in various fields of France, he imdiately noticed the distinctive architectural style. It had a touch of Baroque elegance, yet strictly adhered to the five classical orders of Ancient Ro. Whether it was the Doric, Roman Ionic, Roman Corinthian, Tuscan, or Composite order, all could be found here in exemplary form.
The solemn forms and grand scale everywhere demonstrated France’s national strength as the hegemonic country on the European continent, its religious authority and social hierarchy, expressing the French pursuit of rationality, order, and unified social values.
Although Descartes had passed away, his rationalist thoughts still reminded every guest who visited here — art should be rational, completely independent of experience, sensation, habit, and taste. The important thing in art is that its structure should be as clear and logical as mathematics.
Ironically, this initiator of the rationalist trend of thought, the philosophical master who proposed ‘I think, therefore I am,’ and the scientific giant, could never gain broad recognition in French society during his lifeti. Due to the obstruction of the Church, only a few friends attended his funeral when he died.
His works were even listed in the Index of Forbidden Books by the French governnt and the Vatican. It was not until 1740 that France announced the lifting of the publication restrictions on Descartes’ works.
And the reason they lifted the ban was absurd; it was not because the French governnt suddenly accepted Descartes’ views but to use his theory to counter the then rampant British system established by Isaac Newton in France.
The French governnt believed that instead of letting the public accept the British system transmitted across the Channel, it was better to unearth the madman’s works from the old papers.
Though Descartes was not favored by the governnt, he had been dead for nearly 100 years, so at least he wouldn’t co up with anything new that annoyed the governnt.
Therefore, in the governnt’s view, the living Descartes was undoubtedly a thorough traitor, but the deceased Descartes was a great figure of the entire French nation, surpassing the petty Isaac Newton across the Channel by ten thousand tis.
Newton’s theories might be correct, but they stemd from Descartes’ inspiration. The wisdom of the French nation was, from any dinsion, superior to that dark bunch of longbown across the Channel, known for their treacherous sneak attacks.
You ask why Arthur knows all these things?
That’s because, on the way to the conference hall, this dark longbow soldier from across the Channel had already exhausted every effort to ask East and West to prevent Villette from presenting that ticulously prepared paper on transcendental functions.
For this, he was even willing to grudgingly acknowledge the superiority of the French nation.
Or at least recognize their national superiority in the field of mathematics.
However, although Villette was flattered by Arthur’s complints, so much so that he seed to be treading on clouds, he clearly did not understand what it ant for a 23-year-old to beco Assistant Police Director at Scotland Yard. Nor did he ask why this convict had suddenly been sent to Hanover from Whitehall, or what the Second-class Secretary at the British Foreign Office Embassy responsible for cultural exchange actually did.
Of course, most importantly, he significantly underestimated the sinister intentions and dark nature of the English longbown.
The fiery sun in Paris could not cure Sir Arthur Hastings of his ‘old rheumatism’ contracted in London.
Villette only found this British knight to be a fascinating person; not only was he knowledgeable, but he also had a wide range of interests, and his love for Paris and France seed to be ingrained in him.
He almost seed to fall short of tattooing ‘I truly love France, France is so mighty, mighty France’ on his body.
It is always pleasant to hear others complint one’s holand, especially when that person is a distinguished Briton.
Villette felt almost overwheld by the praise from the British knight. For Arthur, too, it was not a fruitless endeavor.
It seed he had inadvertently discovered so quick-fix thod for building good relationships with foreigners, a treasure code that remained effective regardless of whether it was 200 years ago or 200 years later.
Villette soon regarded Arthur as a friend, and when he found Arthur very curious about the various anecdotes of the French Academy, he held nothing back in sharing them.
“Yes, indeed, only the most outstanding scholars can be elected as academicians of the French Academy of Sciences. However, they are not the highest-ranking mbers within the French Academy. Among the five academies of the French Academy, those in the French Academy of Letters hold the highest status, with each mber enjoying the sa treatnt as the royal family. In France, being elected as a fellow of the French Academy of Letters is considered the highest honor one can achieve.
During grand etings and ceremonies, they wear the famous ‘green robes’ and sleeveless gowns, with bicorn hats on their heads and unique swords they designed in hand, showcasing their dignity and majesty. This tradition was established during the ti when Napoleon was the First Consul and has remained unchanged to this day.
User Comments
0 comments from readers