ACADEMY, a public shady park or place of groves near Athens, where
Plato taught his philosophy and whence his school derived its name, of
which there are three branches, the _Old_, the _Middle_, and the _New_,
represented respectively by Plato himself, Arcesilaos, and Carneades. The
_French Academy_, of forty members, was founded by Richelieu in 1635,
and is charged with the interests of the French language and literature,
and in particular with the duty of compiling an authoritative dictionary
of the French language. Besides these, there are in France other four
with a like limited membership in the interest of other departments of
science and art, all now associated in the _Institute of France_, which
consists in all of 229 members. There are similar institutions in other
states of Europe, all of greater or less note.


ACADIA, the French name for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.


ACANTHUS, a leaf-like ornament on the capitals of the columns of
certain orders of architecture.


ACAPUL`CO, a Mexican port in the Pacific, harbour commodious, but
climate unhealthy.


ACARNA`NIA, a province of Greece N. of Gulf of Corinth; its pop.
once addicted to piracy.