Litchfield enquirer., 1838-12-20

"'h Ah'h"h\ eahgnI:;rrnt donation, we may b" forgiven fnr tI,inking ,hat there
 must hav" been SuurF1 hing in tue air of E. "y'' wh'ch inspired c"l'sSal concep,ions, so 'i'Hi "s ih".v h"ild'tl, they might love also "n a gigantic scale.
 1 As 'I'" origin of Ii.iS library was thus ex- 1 tratEdin"ty. i;s progress was no less re-
 mark'hlc, and proves that Cleopatra was as JnSi and sag1cious as she was beautiful,
 he books were sent across ilre Meditrrra. mean in ships, and when she became aware ni '''c extent of the present, she determined '''"' 1t should be deposited ia an appropri- ate rcccptablc. Acting on ,lle same feel. ing which induces Ns to place costly pie lure in rich frame, or to keep a precious -"m in a cabinet of corresponding rarity, sue commenced the erection of that noble building, since familisrlv know as the AL exandr'an or Ptolemaic Library. It's splrn- tid and extensive facade overlooked the. harbor. In front of the grand entrance stood the slender obeIsks, now dennni- mated Cleopatra's needles. The presence ot such obelisks before building not dcvo- ted to religious purposes proves the com manding influence exercised by Cleopatra over the priesthood of her day, seeing Una, this is the only instance in which that spe- cies of ornament is found attached to any thing but temple. In front of the ancient Egyptian temples, obcIisks are always found. I,may be presumed that her inten- tion was, the more to ensure the safety of her new building, by giving it something of the sanctity ofa temple and il is probable her success with the priests n,ny have been owing in part to the fact, that they were the well known Repositories of Egyptian learn. ing. '
 The library, thus enthroned, soon ren- dered Alexandria as much the centre oflit- eratnre as it had been before of trade. IL should be remembered that in that age, men of learning were in the habit of travelling much more than they now do; in part, for the purpose of consulting manuscripts. which wele then comparatively rare. h is true that, to this day, great collections of books are the occasion of similar journeys.
 There are now, every day, from fifty to q hundred learned men journeyMg for the sole object of consulting the library in the Vatican, that at Bologna, and various other European cities, on account of rare and valuable books 10 be found there only. In Cleopatra's day, the same cause prodnced a similar effect, though, for the reason ! have stated, in a greater degree. Aware of this state of things, Cleopatra took ad- vantage of it in a very adroit and singular manner. She made decree that every learned man visiting Alexandria with any manuscript iu his possession, should for,h- with bring it to the library, that it might be examined md # ;t was worthy -s.f S.;.ss preserved, she had it carefully transcribed at the public expense. The original was then returned to the owner, with an extra copy as recompcnse. Thus the treasures of literature were enlarged, n"boby was robbed or injured. and the learned world became possessed of three copies oi every valuable work instead of one. It became of course, the interest of fscllolars to bring their nanusccipts with them to Alexandrin i; and in this manner the library was increas- ed with incredible rapidiiy. As the city itself had risen from the desert as if by the wand of an enchanter, tho library, winch was its most precious treasure. grew 'n manner scarcely less wonderful.
 But to return to the library of Alexandria - have already remarked that the history of it's destruction was as remarkable as that of its origin or progress. In the process ol ages, that period came which seems to be the necessary result of all civilization, namely, the period of decline. The in- crease of the city in wealth and power had been immense, and promised to be endless 1; but with wealth came luxury, and with lux ury it's inseparable concomitanis. pride, seI- fishnsss, disregard of the public interest 1; which, when they have reached a certain point. make any people the ready prey of the frs, invader. The Arabs, a fierce and hardy people, in all the freshness and vlgor of comparative youth, were led up from the deserts under Caliph Omar. The city was taken, and his Lieutenant Amru was the successful captor. On that occas"n, he made to his superior officer an official re turn of the spells of war. .g..
 Destyuction cffhe Library.-All it's srea- sures. however great as they were.' fell into the hands of the conquerors; and among them, one on which ihe citizens set more value than On all the rest. This was thr'r library. For this they intercedcd with the most passionate earnestness; /; pleading tha. while all the rest of the spoil belonged io them. their library was the property of the world. They urged upon Anr" that ih's contained the contributions oft universal intellect of mankind and they begged that whatever else he nigh. take from them, ho would spare this inestimab:e treasure t" themselves and io posteriiy. Tue Lie"- icnan, reported their prayer to Omar, who. a, first. gave commandment thai it should ,bc granted. .Bnt stay,' added he. after moments reflection. we have, as good MIu.sulmans, duty to perform. Let tiie books be examined. Perhaps they eon.a'" matter contradictory [" the doctrines oi '"e K lf e.. Ia. ihpn, hs. hurnf. that DO.