Memoirs of Anne C.L. Botta,: written by her friends. With selections from her correspondence and from her writings in prose and poetry.

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of the Academy for modifying the theme proposed
by Mrs. Botta:
A portion of the prize of five thousand francs due to the generosity of Madame Botta will to-day receive an appropriate and
honorable disposition, but the prize itself, as well as the prize of
poetry, will be submitted to another competition and awarded
two years hence.
On the 18th of December, 1874, Madame Botta wrote from
New-York to the Academy proposing to place at its disposal a
prize of five thousand francs to be given every five years for the
best work published in France on the following subject: " How
may the Domestic, Social, and Political Relations of Woman be
Modified in the Interests of a Higher Civilization?"
This formula, not flattering (asse~ irregpeeueuse) to our modern
civilization, was of a nature to somewhat scare a pacific company, the friend of all progress but the enemy of all revolutions,
especially of literary revolutions, and which is always ready to
yield to its more competent brethren the honor, perilous for
itself, of discussing political and social questions.
Without altogether refusing its cooperation, nor the trouble
which it is its habit never to begrudge to those who ask for it, the
Academy on this occasion felt compelled to show some hesitation;
but soon -its entire freedom of action being reserved-the prize
founded by Madame Botta by common consent was formally
pledged to the best work which should be submitted on the
"Condition of Women."
This prize we hoped for the first time to confer to-day. Only
five competitors have responded to our appeal, and, had the subject originally proposed by Madame Botta been adopted, a little
book entitled " La Femme Libre" would certainly have been
entitled to a preference, but the more it responded to the programme renounced by the Academy, the more it departed from
that which prevailed, from that which is a law to us, and which
we are bound to respect.
In this volume, which realizes everything promised by its title,
the author gives evidence of real talent, but he fails of his pur
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