The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 882: Chapter 13 The New Era of France

The sunlight penetrated the classical French-style building of the Paris Academy of Sciences, spilling over the solemn and ancient eaves, pilasters, pediments, and relief sculptures, like golden strings plucking the melody of time.

When Arthur stepped into the French Academy, gathering the top talents in various fields of France, he immediately noticed the distinctive architectural style. It had a touch of Baroque elegance, yet strictly adhered to the five classical orders of Ancient Rome. Whether it was the Doric, Roman Ionic, Roman Corinthian, Tuscan, or Composite order, all could be found here in exemplary form.

The solemn forms and grand scale everywhere demonstrated France’s national strength as the hegemonic country on the European continent, its religious authority and social hierarchy, expressing the French pursuit of rationality, order, and unified social values.

Although Descartes had passed away, his rationalist thoughts still reminded every guest who visited here — art should be rational, completely independent of experience, sensation, habit, and taste. The important thing in art is that its structure should be as clear and logical as mathematics.

Ironically, this initiator of the rationalist trend of thought, the philosophical master who proposed ‘I think, therefore I am,’ and the scientific giant, could never gain broad recognition in French society during his lifetime. Due to the obstruction of the Church, only a few friends attended his funeral when he died.

His works were even listed in the Index of Forbidden Books by the French government and the Vatican. It was not until 1740 that France announced the lifting of the publication restrictions on Descartes’ works.

And the reason they lifted the ban was absurd; it was not because the French government suddenly accepted Descartes’ views but to use his theory to counter the then rampant British system established by Isaac Newton in France.

The French government believed that instead of letting the public accept the British system transmitted across the Channel, it was better to unearth the madman’s works from the old papers.

Though Descartes was not favored by the government, he had been dead for nearly 100 years, so at least he wouldn’t come up with anything new that annoyed the government.

Therefore, in the government’s view, the living Descartes was undoubtedly a thorough traitor, but the deceased Descartes was a great figure of the entire French nation, surpassing the petty Isaac Newton across the Channel by ten thousand times.

Newton’s theories might be correct, but they stemmed from Descartes’ inspiration. The wisdom of the French nation was, from any dimension, superior to that dark bunch of longbowmen across the Channel, known for their treacherous sneak attacks.

You ask why Arthur knows all these things?

That’s because, on the way to the conference hall, this dark longbow soldier from across the Channel had already exhausted every effort to ask East and West to prevent Villette from presenting that meticulously prepared paper on transcendental functions.

For this, he was even willing to grudgingly acknowledge the superiority of the French nation.

Or at least recognize their national superiority in the field of mathematics.

However, although Villette was flattered by Arthur’s compliments, so much so that he seemed to be treading on clouds, he clearly did not understand what it meant for a 23-year-old to become Assistant Police Director at Scotland Yard. Nor did he ask why this convict had suddenly been sent to Hanover from Whitehall, or what the Second-class Secretary at the British Foreign Office Embassy responsible for cultural exchange actually did.

Of course, most importantly, he significantly underestimated the sinister intentions and dark nature of the English longbowmen.

The fiery sun in Paris could not cure Sir Arthur Hastings of his ‘old rheumatism’ contracted in London.

Villette only found this British knight to be a fascinating person; not only was he knowledgeable, but he also had a wide range of interests, and his love for Paris and France seemed to be ingrained in him.

He almost seemed to fall short of tattooing ‘I truly love France, France is so mighty, mighty France’ on his body.

It is always pleasant to hear others compliment one’s homeland, especially when that person is a distinguished Briton.

Villette felt almost overwhelmed by the praise from the British knight. For Arthur, too, it was not a fruitless endeavor.

It seemed he had inadvertently discovered some quick-fix method for building good relationships with foreigners, a treasure code that remained effective regardless of whether it was 200 years ago or 200 years later.

Villette soon regarded Arthur as a friend, and when he found Arthur very curious about the various anecdotes of the French Academy, he held nothing back in sharing them.

“Yes, indeed, only the most outstanding scholars can be elected as academicians of the French Academy of Sciences. However, they are not the highest-ranking members within the French Academy. Among the five academies of the French Academy, those in the French Academy of Letters hold the highest status, with each member enjoying the same treatment as the royal family. In France, being elected as a fellow of the French Academy of Letters is considered the highest honor one can achieve.

During grand meetings and ceremonies, they wear the famous ‘green robes’ and sleeveless gowns, with bicorn hats on their heads and unique swords they designed in hand, showcasing their dignity and majesty. This tradition was established during the time when Napoleon was the First Consul and has remained unchanged to this day.