The Deviser

The Petropolitan Academy of Letters was stablished by Joaquim Heleodoro Gomes dos Santos. He himself tells how and why it happened in the article "Association of Letters and Science - Historical Outline", published in the "Petropolitan Academy of Letters Magazine", year 1, issue 1, April, 1934.


Tribute to the Poet

Opening the article, his text is enlightening: "On June 28, 1922, the tireless fighter for the Press, Dr. J. Roberto d'Escragnolle, in his well-known 'Alex Agency' headquarters, then located at a Petròpolis Guesthouse´s room, brought together the old, well-known and recently deceased journalist Gregório de Almeida´s friends and colleagues, with the purpose of paying tribute to the memory of this Petropolis´old friend. Being the room full up, they started, recalling Gregorio´s figure, listening to: Arthur Barboza, Henrique Mercaldo, Hildegardo Silva, Armando Martins and Salomão Jorge; Miss Stella Aguiar, Raul Serrano, Reynaldo Chaves and others, who read works in tribute to the "Hortensias"´s author. When the session finished and I returned home still feeling in my ears the harmony of the recited verses, I wondered about the possibility of organizing in Petropolis a Society of Letters where intellectuals would get together from time to time, to read among themselves their literary works. Under this state of spirits, I wrote to Dr. d'Escragnolle the following letter…


The Letter

"Petropolis June 28, 1922.

Dear Sir Dr. J. R. d'Escragnolle.

Greetings.

I deeply thank you for the invitation to the solemn session in memory of the much-missed Dr. Gregorio de Almeida, to which I have been and cannot omit myself to the owe of congratulating you for having organizing the celebration, that is normal practice in all cultured centers, but, in Petropolis, is not practiced, or else, since some time ago has become forgotten.

Having myself being arrived much before the beginning of the works, I have noticed that a group of young poets - young men full of hope and thirsty for glories - were enjoying themselves in reciting their last productions, subjecting them to the applauses and critique of an audience; and watching that, I thought to myself: 'Why, in Petropolis, there is not a literary association, where periodically intellectuals should get together, recite their verses and read one or another lecture? And, in case of negative, why not to create, organize such association?'

How many hidden vocations are not lost for lack of stimulus, due to this big gap? Why Petropolis, city of hortensias and magnolias, of dream and love, of the most beautiful and purest skies, the 'Princess of Mountain Range', cannot also be the Intellectuals and Parnaso Queen ´s headquarters? Why in small towns without the attractions the wise nature gifted Petropolis, there are literary academies and centers, and Petropolis cannot have its own? And I set myself out to the study of using all my efforts to the achievement of this ideal, but soon came to mind my insignificance, my worthlessness, the nullity of my person, and therefore what could I do to achieve such purpose? And came to my memory a moral allegory I´ve learnt when a child, in which a beggar, who lived by the charity of a noble feudal man, noticed that into the other fellow´s sumptuous castle a piece of importance was missing - which piece I don´t recall right now - and who, after a long time pondering, went to the noble man and told him about the noticed missing.

A derisive smile and the order of inflicting on him twelve whippings were the answer and the reward he obtained. And this is the reason why I´m writting you this letter to, with the authority that you have and I don´t, launch the basis of this society, by the 'Press Circle'´s rebirth under new moulds, by your 'Press Center'´s implication, or by the organization of a new institution, and so we can see, in short term, become reality what by now is not but a fantasy in my mind.

From your friend, thanks,

Joaquim Gomes dos Santos".