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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in the development of civilization. Since this object seems to
have failed, I cheerfully accept the suggestion of the illustrious
gentlemen who constitute the Academy, communicated to me in
your letter, and request that the fund be appropriated to such objects and in such a manner as they may think best. Should any
form be necessary in order to utilize this change, my husband and
myself will be in Paris some time during the summer, when it can
be satisfactorily arranged. With great regard, etc.,
A. C. L. BOTTA.
To this Mrs. Botta received the following answer:
INSTITUT DE FRANCE, ACADEMIE FRAN(AISE,
PARIS, I 7th June, 1887.
The Perpetual Secretary of the Academy to MADAME BOTTA.
MADAME: I have received the letter you did me the honor to
write me, and I lost no time in communicating it to the Academy
at its session yesterday.
The gracious manner in which you have received the proposition which I had occasion to submit to you has been highly
appreciated by the company, and I am charged to thank you on
its behalf.
Believe me, Madame, that before asking you to modify your
first intentions it was necessary that the impossibility of satisfying
them should be absolutely demonstrated, so earnestly does the
Academy always desire to comform to the wishes of the generous
persons who honor it with their confidence.
Feeling fully authorized by your last letter, the Academy
yesterday made the following disposition of your prize, with
which I hasten to acquaint you:
"In future the Botta prize shall be bestowed every three years.
It shall be 3oo000 francs, and the Academy, inspired by the testamentary dispositions of M. Vitet, will apply this sum in the way
it shall deem best'in the interest of letters.' For the next year,
and for that year only, the Botta prize will amount to 6ooo francs
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