The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-23

Thirteenth, who Issued a bull comforting various
privileges upon the new university. These pri-
vileees were confirmed by the Emperor sigis.
mund in. lll2, and also by Pope John the
Twenty-thlrd. Amadeus the Eighth, first
Duke OF Savoy, who succeeded Prince Louis,
added new privileges to it in 1924. The plague
having committed great ravsges at Turin, the
university was transferred to Cbiesi, from
whence again, in consequence of the pestilence,
1t was removed to Saviglieno, from which own,
In 1887, 1t was transferred back to Turin. Add-
tional privileges were granted by Louis, the
son of Amadeus, and by Pope Eugenus the
Fourth. For o short period the classes we're
transferred to Moncaleli, but back again to
The University of Parma was also founded in
the fifteenth century (14l2). 1t owes its origin
to Nicholas the Third, Marquis of Ferrara, to
whom the city belonged.
As already observed, it was Pope Eugenius
the Fourth who carried out the plan of lnno-
cent the Seventh with regard 10 the University
of Rome; but the protection afforded by those
Popes to education and literature sinks into
comparative insignifcance by the side OF the
noble patronage of Pope Nicholas the Fifth,
who, in the eight years OF his pontifcate, did
more for literature in Italy than all his prede-
cessors.
1t is golden page we read in the history of
Italy, when we md that, even IN the midst of
dire teuds and civil war, neutral ground was
allowed for science, literature and the fine arts.
The lords of Montterrat, the Dukes OF Urbino
the lords of Rlmini, the Gonzaga, the Bste
wed with royal houses in furthering education
qJis OF Mantua ordered seminary 10 be built
for the education OF his children, to which other
children were admitted. 1t was q noble man
sion, With balls and galleries; on the walls were
depicted the joyous sports of children, whence
it acquired the name of "Casa giocosa.n This
academy, for II soon rose to such, became fire.
Germany, and from Greece, and achieved a
celebrity not inferior to that of the first univer
sites.
The Medci, with whose name that of Nicho.
1n.k Ia sraAs aAaIv A,1
service in the establishment Of libraries and
academies. When only q young clerical stu
dent, Tommaso d SsIzana afterwards Pope
Nicholas the Fifth) was engaged by Cosmo di
Medici to assist him in arranging the library of
San Marco, the foundation OF the celebrated
library in Florence, known as the "Biblioteca
Marcana.n 1t was Nicholas the Fifth who
laid the foundation of the Vatican library.
Clement the Fifth, when he transferred the
Papal See to Aviguon carried along with him
the manuscripts which then formed the Pom
tifcal library. There they remained till the
year 1417. when Martin the Fifth took them
back to Rome Under the pontfcate of Eu-
genius the Fourth, the library was very scanty.
Ambrogio Camoldese, who visited Rome in
1882 published an account of the libraries of
the Holy City. Amongst others, he mentions
that of Cardinal 0rsini, great portion of which
had been sent to Peruga, where the cardinal
had been appointed legate; another especially
attached to the Church of st. Cecilia, espe-
cially mentioning codeX OF twentynine hOmi-
lies; another library, which he styles "Biblio-
teCa del Papa," distinguishing IL from t1e
"Bbli oteca di San Pletro,n the latter being
probably the property of that church. He says
that he found few manuscripts of value in
either. Nicholas the Fifth undertook the task
of collecting library on q large scale in Rome.
He sent emissarles to all parts to collect Latin
and Greek manuscripts, without regard to eX-
pense. He engaged the most eminent men to
copy them, and paid them handsomely. In
this manner he collected five thousand volumes.
Death prevented him carrying out his design of
throwing open public library for the use of
the Romans; Pope Calixtus the Third, who
succeeded Nicholas the Fifth, spent forty
thousand scudi in adding manuscripts to the
collection commenced by Nicholas. 1t was not
till the pontifcate OF SiXtus the Fourth that the
Vatican library was thrown open to the public.
When exiled from Florence, Cosmo dl Medici
founded library in the monastery OF st. George,
which he left as a donation TO Venice, as
mark of his gratitude for the hospitality he
received when he sought refuge there On his
reinstatement to power, CosmO founded the cele-
brated Laurentian Library at Florence called
after his son Lorenzo, who greatly enriched it.
Another Florentine of large fortune, Niccolo
Niccoli devoted his wealth to similar purpose.
He collected a library of eight hundred volumes
in the Greek, Latin, and Oriental languages;
but his liberality exceeded his means. He died
poor in l436. Cosmo was appointed one of six
teen trustees, and he undertook to pay all Mic
colo'S debts, If allowed sole disposal of the
library. This was agreed 10, and the books were
placed for public use in the Bibhoteca Mar
ciana. A building was erected by Cosmo,
divided into seDarate compartments or cham.
5ers devoted respectively W manuscripts III dlI
ferent languages.
by COsmo, is the first institution that assumed
the name of Academy" in Italy. The acade-
mic'ans were divided into three categories-the
patrons lmecenat), the hearers (ascoltatori),
and the novces or disciples, consisting OF young
aspirants TO philosophy. Their great festival
was held on the thirteenth of November, the
anniversary of the birth and death OF Plato.
The superintendenee of the academy was en-
trusted to Marsilio Ficino, the son of Cosmos
private physician.
on the steep slope of that lofty hill, crowned by
the mother city, the ancient Fiesole, in gardens
which Tully might have enVied, with F1clno,
Landino, and Politian by his side, Lorenzo de-
lighted his hours of leisure with the beautiful
visions of Platonic philosophy, for which the
summer stiffness of an italian sky appears the
most congenial accompaniment. Never could
the sympathies of the soul with outer nature
be more finely touched; never could more
striking suggestions be presented TO the phlloso-
Them; not with all the magni6cence which the
later Medicl have given her, but, thanks to the
nietV of former times, presenting almost as
varied an outline to the sky One man. the Won
der of Cosmos age, Brunelleschl, had crowned
the beautiful city with the vast dome Oh its catne
dral--a structure unthought OF In Italy before,
and rarely since surpassed. 1t seemed, AMIDST
the clustering towers of inferior churches, an
emblem of the Catholic hierarchy under Its
supreme heads like Rome itself, imposing,
unbroken, unchangeaoie Tadiatng 70 every
curves TO heaven. Round this were numbered,
at UNEQUAL heights, the Baptlstery, with It's
gates, as Michael Angelo called them, worthy
of paradise; the tall ard richly decorated bel
| Iry of Giotto; the church of the Carmine, with
| the fIesco of Masaccio; those OF Santa
| Maria Noyella lin the language OF the same
| great man) as beautiful as bride; OF Santa