De Tocqueville 's death gave rise to vigorous com-
petition in the Academy. An important candidate
arose. Father Lacordaire, the celebrated Catholic
pulpit orator, who was proposed, not by his core-
ligionists, Montalembert and Falloux, but by Cousin
and Guizot. Lacordaire, supported by the religious
party, but not opposed by the government, had, in
the Academy, the liberals and free-thinkers, es-
pecially Merimee, as opponents. His election was a
triumph not so much of the government as of Ca-
tholicism and his reception speech was a great event
in the intellectual circles of the Second Empire.
Until then the Empress had taken care to remain
a stranger to all the intrigues and ceremonies of the
Academy. But she made it a point to be at the sit-
ting in which Lacordaire was ** received'' and in
which Guizot replied to Lacordaire 's oration. This
act of hers was pronounced *'fine and courageous''
in the Catholic camp, but was much criticized by
the imperialists of the Left who did not share her
religious views. But the real reason for Eugenie's
presence was simply that she wished to witness an
Academy '* reception, " which is one of the sights of
Paris. This was the first time the Empress had ever
sat *'under the cupola" and she greatly enjoyed the
eloquence and learning of these two famous leaders

408



EPISODES IN THE EMPEROE'S LIFE

of Protestant and Catholic thought. Laoordaire, by
the way, only went three or four times to the Acad-
emy, for he died some months after his admission,
much to my regret, for I always considered him one
of the greatest preachers of the church.
