French Academy Inauguration Speech (Montaigne, Houssemal, Valéry)

Author: (French) Montaigne, Yourcenar, Valéry, translated by Gui Yufang, Wu Kangru
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This collection of speeches by French Academicians, presented before the readers, includes the inaugural addresses delivered by over ten French Academicians during their induction ceremonies into the French Academy or the Collège de France. These academicians specialize in diverse fields, spanning philosophy (Aron), history (Duby, Braudel), literature (Montaigne, Valéry, Yourcenar), theater (Ionesco), anthropology (Dumézil), biological sciences (Roche), and many other disciplines. Respected for their brilliant achievements and colorful works in their respective eras, their names have been immortalized in history, shining brightly. One of the purposes of compiling this book is to allow readers to gain insight into the spiritual demeanor of these intellectual elites, appreciating and experiencing the profound sentiments in their souls. As everyone knows, the inaugural speeches of the Collège de France members (such as Duby) have later been widely recognized as academic masterpieces, such as Merleau-Ponty's The Prose of Philosophy, Foucault's The Order of Discourse, and the one included in our collection, Medieval Society. This is because the tradition of the Collège de France is that teachers must always speak about what they are currently thinking and researching, rather than what has already been said by others. Such speeches truly belong to the "frontier of academia."
In the French Academy, the welcoming speeches delivered by newly inducted members do not focus on themselves but instead express deep respect and sincerity in detailing and analyzing the works and thoughts of their predecessors. Their own academic achievements are introduced by incumbent academicians in their replies. We can see that both the speaker and the respondent exhibit sincere and grateful attitudes toward the subject. What is even more impressive is how thoroughly the newly inducted members are familiar with their predecessors—both as individuals and as thinkers—and how deeply they understand their predecessors' thoughts and words. It is particularly noteworthy that some newly inducted academicians, whose reputation far surpasses that of their predecessors, remain so composed in their self-reflection, humbly respecting the past while maintaining objective analysis—truly admirable.
The vitality of a nation, a people, or even a culture, its ability to remain healthy and sustainable, and its prospects for a bright future—all depend fundamentally on how it treats its predecessors and understands its traditions. Therefore, different nations, with equally long traditions, may produce entirely different outcomes due to their differing attitudes toward this issue. If we patiently read these speeches by the academicians, we will gain a deeper understanding of this point and also develop a more rational perspective on why vibrant intellectual activity often occurs in France in the 20th century.