Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-07
About Books.

The famous Libraries formed il IN.
Gent times arc proofs Of the abundance
of books and the geaeral condition Of
literature in the various cOuatries II
Asia and Europe. The famous Alexan.
drian library, founded nearly 300 B. c..
contained 700, 600 volumes; the library
OF the Kings Of Pergsmus zoo. 600; and
there were numerous lii lee, public
and private. in Rome. Atuens, Samoa,
and other cities in Greece, Egypt.
Spain, and Italy, numbering from 10. :.
600 to 5000 volumes. The library
founded by Constantine 1t Constantine
pie contained 13O,OO0 volumes. and
that at Cairo is said by Arab writer's to
have held 100000 volumes. There
we're other great libraries in Bagdad,
Tripoli, and Fee. Under the Moors,
Spain possessed 60 public libraries, the
principal one. that of COrdOva. con-
tanning 400. 900 volumes. Most Of these
collections we're destroyed in the warn
which devastated the various countries
and cities where they existed, the rem.
nants which escaped owing their pres
ervation to being concealed in converts
ami monasteries.
Nor were the ancients destitute OF
newspapers. The first Of which We
have any account was published BY the
Roman government, over 1000 years
ago. At first it was issued bnt once .
year, and contained digest OF all the
important events which had occurred
during the past twelve months. These
papers consisted of white tablets Of
wood, on which vas written the news,
and were delivered to citizens as papers
are nowadays. In the course OF few
years, the thirst for news having rapid
~ developed, the government found il
necessary to issue o daily, which was
called Acsi Popui Ronania Diurna.
This was established in 168 B. G. Some
of the original copies Of this journal
are still in existence. Curipusly
enough, the contents OF some of them,
with mere change of name and locality,
would answer for items in our own
daily papers. In one is an account OF
a quarrel in low tavern. in which the
landlord was badly pounded; several
butchers were fined for selling meat
which had not been inspected; broker
who had decamped with money left
with him in trust, was arrested and
obliged to refund his stealings. There
were shorthand reporters too in those
days. Sedtonius has an account of the
anger of Augustus because the speech
of Casar for Metellus was badly report
ed; and from other writer's of the day
we learn that there was "ring Of re-
porters" who collected news and sent it
into the provinces. The first political
journal was organized by Julius Caesar,
according to Seutonius, who says that
las soon as he had entered his public
Office he caused not only to be written,
but also spread abroad among the people,
the proceedings Of the Senate" Be-
sides these proceedings, the journal
contained q department of births and
deaths, executions, market sales, build
ing news, anecdotes, etc. From these
facts it is easy to see that the ancients
were very m UGH such people a. We are,
and that they read, studied, and enjoy
ed things in the literary line with as
keen an appetite as we do.
In England. France, and Germany,
where civilization is Of later date, IL.
.ozatuzs DUE ~
had yet attained considerable proper
tions long before the invention Of type
printing. With that invention, how
ever, aided by the manufacture Of pa
per, which was begun about the same
time, the tide of modern literary pro-
gress was swelled to . powerful stream,
whose force has been augmented year
by year ever since. Book Bull
letin.