The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-09-22
AwoSDERFUL BOOKCASE.

excellence.
WONDERFUL BOOKCASE.
Eleven years ago the marvellous collec
/ lion of manuscripts above alluded to Was
placed in homage at the feet OF his late
and accumulator. That glorious Pontiff
was go charmed and delighted with the
literary treasure thus offered to him as the
Head of the Church that he announced his
determination to place the precious tones
to the number, as already mentioned, of
one hUudred end ten manuscript volumes
i'm a superb book case in the centre of the
Sale de lIHmaculee Conception in the
Poutihcal Palace. The hall, ss yo1 will
doubtless remember, is besutihec with
paintings symOoiiz:ng the dogma, the
4 DOR of the hal! being a mosaic pavement
of the time of Augustus, discovered at
Ostia. The Abbe Sue resolved, however,
that France should give the book case as
we'll as tie priceless manuscripts. lie
book Gaze containirg the 10 vol iumes was,
! ! in consequence Of tt1fsj taken n t.ard oy
| the Messrs. Ctristohe. 1t was, in tie Feb
ruary OF 1877, when approaching something
like Completeness, conveyed TO Rome and
| submitted 20 the late Goly Fathers inspec
ton There is 8 comfort in knowing that
| the casket, as well as the treasure II was
constructed TO contain, was submitted TO
| the scrutiny of his late Holiness. The
! sight OF each II turn, needless 10 ssy,
| yielded a!m immense satisfaction. On the
| return OF tie book Gaze TO its makersi IL WAS
| in due course completed. II is huge,
| costly, aod ornate structure, shaped IN
some measure IKE gigantic sideooaEa:
| Il stands on thirty-t@o supports. richly
| carved. Its upper surface is inlsid with
noble sheets Of plate glass, through which
may be seep safely enehrlHeo from dost,
from touch, ard from tie outer atmosphere,
the inestimabl anusoriIt The supports
Ste I0o
of i. an appropriately celestial timber.
These supports are girdied about With
bands OF ebony. The capitals and claws
of all the thirty-two are of gilded bronze.
Upon one of the lower frieZes of the stroc
ture are easne!!ed shields, upon which are
emblaz oned the names of those who had
contributed to the fund, the fruits OF which
are now Visible in the sumptaous form oi
! this grand book case, with its poly2lo'
collection in painted, gilded, aod gorge
3 ously decorated manuscript. a sort o
4 trelIis work Of horal enamel with creamy
blossoms and verdaut foliage Links escotch
: eou to escl .cheor. And IL amongst the
I tracery Of the flowers and froncage are le
e | in here AID there the loveliest mosaics-
e these nosa!ct bein g the only portion OF th'
j., | fabric contributed by Plus the Ninth him
; self. They are, needless to say, master
o pieces wrought ont in the 1urivalied work
= shops OF the Vatican. They represent
7 | APPROPRIATELY enough, localities, dear {
l. the hear. Of tie whole Christian world, il
b Palestine. They depict, besides the Mothe
;. Church . Rome, the largest and mos
Z venerable basil,ca in the Capital of Chris
tendon. There is tie Church Of SAINT
y Maria Maggio:e. Tonder is the Cnurch O
? Santa Maria IL Tras;evere. Some Of th,
IF paoel!ings eLccus:iug this vonderfu
. book case are tof the rarest Sevres poTce
il lain. There are four Of these representa-
.e Europe, As!s, Africa, and America, all {
Ie which are offerings from the hand of th
. fret lady IL F.ance, Madame the wife {
.e the Marsha!- President of the Republic
= Besides a. tie adoTcnents l have alreaC
ID enumerated =. coCspicuoQsly noticeable o
a. this Eorgeo o.. book case-wbich has fc
Of moutns, coa, been prominent among II
d wonders OF tLe Paris Exhibition, pror
this peerless caEket aud its conteLA beln
conveyed TO the Naticao-theTe are tw'
I, aud-tweuty most curious medAilions, N,
ID saIcs, or enaue!s, every one OF them, uotI
-e precious Etores, bat in precious woods
& sandal, beet wood, etc, doing the wor
here, Il lEF s-.az1.i, porpbyry, and 9th
rich calcare. : formations. Ideal rePT
AZ seutAtiozs be introduced in the str1ct1
LT Of the Hebrew fs5ricatoT of the Tabernac
Ie' and of the patron isaint Of French Go!