The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-08-21

differs lrs1n the ordinary OF the werld,
imthis, that the article disposed of is compara-
tive VaIueless to its possessOr, because of the ex-
istenee of the duplicate in his hands, andt be-
comes valuable to him who sbtains it, because
it supplies deficiency in his collection. m III
lustration OF this idea is furnished by the expo
rience of Mr. Vattemare. In the collection of
coins and medals of the duke de Blacas. he had
fcnnd, in the series of coins of the Lower En-
pire, two of the reign of Eugenius, and none of
Michael Ill. In the collection of Gen. Ruhl dc
LiliensteYn, at Berlin, ON the contrary, there
were two Of Michael III, and none of Eugenius
"a simple exchange perfected both collections,
without impoverishing either. Again, at Mu-
Mich, in Bavaria, MIR. Vattenare discovered the
! flh volume, in manuscript, of the romance of
the four sons OF Aymon, a work precious in the
eyes oGall interested in the early literary history
of France-the first four volumes of which were
in thec library de PArsenal at Paris, preserved
there with the greatest care, and wanting but
the volume at Munich, to complete the only
manuscript copy of the work in existence
In France, Mr.. Yattcmare had seen work ia
manuscript, relating to the Minnesingars, or
trouhRdours Of Germany, as interesting to the Ba-
Warian, as the romance of the four sons OF Aymon
to the French antiquarian. An exchange was
effected by his means, and the libraries at Mu-
Mich and Paris thus became enriched without
TEN Of exchanges
Still further to illustrate the subject, you fEd
in MIR. Vattemare's memorial to Congress,
which has been read this evening, that when
at Munich, he discovered in the Libraries OF the
King: of Bavaria 100000 duplicates, which. had
accumulated there on the confscation of the pro-
porty of the converts, and were being devoured
by the rats and destroyed by dust and damp. The
suggestion of the system of Exchanges by hlr
I Il = 4 L 30
useless lumber most valuable, and it has been
since scattered over France and England, and
works, of those countries, in which the Bavarian
library was deficient substituted in its stead.
E Again., when the system was suggested to the
Emparpr Nicholas ofRussia and received, which
it speedily did, his appreciation, he notified the
Imperial Librarians, at st. Petersburgh,th until
the duplicates in their possessions amounting to
$4,000, were disposed Of in Exchange, they were
to expect no more money from the government to
increase the books in their library. The dupli--
Gates, which had accumulated from the confisca-
ton of the Libraries, of Poland were to be the
money to be made use of-converted, as they
were, into money, by MIR. Vattemare's system OF
Exchanges
Another result of Mr.. Vattemare's system, as
with Russia, may 10 here related
When Persia was made to indemnify the Rus
slams for the expenses of the late war between
thetwo countries, the Unprecedented, that the
gold in which the indemnity was to be paid
would be estimated not only BY its weight but by
its antiquity; the consequence of which wasthe
coins completing the numismatic history of the
country, and amopg the est,-csins or medals
ofthe REICH of Genghis Khan,
Nor does the operation ofthe system in Russia
stop here. After the overthrow of the Lower
Empire by Mahomet the IL, the christian monks
lied with their manuscripts and records towards
Russia, and in the converts which they establish
ed, their sacred archives were deposited. Here
they have remained, century after century, valu-
less, because unknown! The system. of Ex-
changes has made them objects Of great price;
and, as the knowledge oSthe system is extending,
and it becomes adopted, these long hidden trea-
sures of the past, connected with our Holy Re-
ligion, are coming to. light and being placed
where the learned meneof all countriesscan have
access to themj-f existing in duplicates very
often, they furnish the capital of Literature which
From what | have said, MIR. Chairman, it is
easy to see, with what rapidity a large and noble
collection May be termed around the, nucleus
that Baltimore already furnishes collection
that will do vast deal to impart useful infer1na-
ton, not only to ourselves, grown men and wo-
men, but also to our children. These now look
up to Peter Parleyas their best FRIEND and the
most wondrously wise man of his day and gene.
ration, and they gather with; delight from his
simple and playfA pages, lessons ,of knowledge
and wisdom, to stand them in good stead through
their after life. But the plan of M. Yattemare
will do more for them than even Peter Farley
has been able to do; for while Farley has yet
confined himself to pictorial representations of
the great and beautiful in the world, there will
be collected fer them now, should this scheme
succeed, the very things themselves, of which
they have hut the IN i,,tad ;,.,a
lectsd for them too, where they may, without
charge, visit them at all times,-until the haunt,
even OF the truant school boy, shall be the halls
of science and the arts.
l have suggested, Mr.. Chairman, that ndivi-
dual collections would contribute to swell the
State collection, after its establishment; and to
illustrate this idea, l again refer to the useful
experience of M. Vattenare. When this gentle
man visited the kingdoIn of Hanover, some years
since, he found gentleman who had, at great
cost, collected museum in his dwelling house
of natural history, large and interesting, but
sadly cut of place in reference to its usefulness
In his, intercourse with him, M. Vattemare found
him rot indisposed to place it at the disposal of
his native city, if he could be assured of its per-
petuation. The mayor of the city was then APP
piled to. It was discovered that proper apart
ments in the public buildings could, without in
be appropriated to the reception of
the collection. The consent of the city govern
ment was obtained provision for the support
of the museum made, and it was transferred ac-
oordingly from the private to the public building.
Here it was judiciously arranged; it became an
object of public interest; and when M. yatte-
mare again visited the place, he found the mu-
scum already greatly increased, not only by
exchanges, but by contributions from indiyi- |
duals, which the example set had caused to flow
IN from all quarters, and the city in possession
Of rare and valuable collection, for the free
use of the people, at cost, except the occupa-
tion of some otherwise useless apartments, and
annual stipend to the keepers of the establish
nent. A fact like this needs no commentary to
show its aptness as an illustration of our SUBJ
ect.
And now, Mr.. Chairman, it may be asked, who
is the individual who thus passes from land to
land, as missionary in this cause. The praise |
which has been bestowed on him, by my friend, |
who preceded me, renders it unnecessary for me |
to say word Of eulogy. MIR. Vattemare was |
surgeon in the French army, under Napoleon,
and devoted, not only by inclination, but BY edu
cation also, to objects of science and literature