New-York tribune., 1841-09-18

cicpS.
FRENCH ROYAL LlBRARY.-The following de-
scription of the Royal Library at Paris is from
the Foreign Correspondence of the Madsonan:
To-day | have visited the Royal Library, which
has not so much excited my admiration, but has
afforded me more real satisfaction than any thing
beside have seen at Paris. la point Of design and
finish no one of the many apartments OF this III
brary equals that Of our Congressional Library al
Washington. but then it is on Il vastly larger scale,
and exceedingly more interesting, for the number,
variety, and value Of its printed books, the humber
and antiquity of many OF its manuscripts and It's
numerous medals, engrayings, and antiques. The
apartments occupy the four sides OF parai!elo-
gram, of about $40 feet by 1870. making the whole
extent OF the library about $40 feet. it Is said
To contain near a million of printed volumes, n,
many pamphlets, and 900 manuscripts. IL has
n cabinet containing 100000 medals, exclusive
of thousands of engraved stone and other antiques
Its cabinet of engrayngs contains ,oOU,OOU specl-
men, and three hundred thousand maps and plans.
If one has not time read Ii rupd survey OF tho
exterior of the books of library will suffice; not
so of ancient manuscripts, medals, and antiques.
Upon these one gazes with interest. on account OF
their antiquity, their author, the person or thing
they represent, the place whence they have been
taken. Along the walls OF some of the principal
apartments ut the Library are very neat and well
arranged cases with glass covers, containing some
the autographs of several OF the monarchs aud
mos; distinguished French authors,-others the
most curious ancient manuscripts. There are TO
be seen letters of Voliaire, of Rousseau, of Madame
Maintcnon, of Madame Sayigne, and many others ;
also, manuscripts of Fenclon, of Bessuet, OF Henry
the 4ih of Louis 18th, and OF many others. There
are to be seen some very ancient authentic manu.
scripts one noticed Of the Sd ith century, and
several of the 9th, 9TH aud 9Th: also curious IN
scripton in Chinese of about the 9Th century, be-
Ing an account OF the arrival and attending circum-
stances of the first Catholic missionaries IN China.
The medals and other antiques are exceedingly IN
teresting as well as numerous, being collected from
all parts CT the world There are antiques from
Babylon and Egypt, from China and India, from
Greece and Rome, and especially greater variety
of more modern date from the lIh and 9Th centu-
ricS to the 10th and 18th One sees, especially, the
veritable armor of the ancient kings and mobiles OF
Francc-Ause cases of steel or brass, which cover
ed the entire body, and which appear Ike
skeletons, ugly and deiormed but which doubtless
were very useful to those who wore them, when
blows were not the fisticutis Of modern pugilists,
but well-aimcd strokes of the bat,lc-axc, dealt by
arm. 81 iron sincws useful, doubtless, ere yet the
delicate articles of powScr and cannon shot were
known bu, since entirely worthless bsiorc man
might sccprc life and limb against the weapons OF
his adversary. but since, whoever will light must run
the imminent risk ofalling.,, $50 that upon tho whole
i, appears that Shakspcares top was not fool, who
said were it not for those vile guns myself would
be soldier I. N