Patronage Of Literature
When Victor Hugo was an aspirant for the honours of the French Academy,
and called on M. Royer Collard to ask his vote, the sturdy veteran
professed entire ignorance of his name. "I am the author of Notre Dame
de Paris, Les Derniers Jours d'un Condamne, Bug-Jargal, Marian
Delorme, &c." "I never heard of any of them," said Collard. "Will you
do me the honour of accepting a copy of my works?" said Victor Hugo. "I
never read new books," was the cutting reply.
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