The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-04-11
W. C. AND L. ASSOCIATION COLUMN.
Edited In the interest Of the Public Library
MEN. WOMEN AND BOOKS.
FAMOUS ANCIENT LIBRARIES.

to have been founded in Memphis by the
Egyptian king Osymandyas Above its en-
trance were inscribed the significant words :
"The Healing of the Soul" and it con-
tanned works of an unknown antiquity,
deemed sacred by the Egyptians. The
principal Hebrew library was in the temple
at Jerusalem; il was restored after the cap
tiyity by Nehemiah. and again by Judas
Maccabaus, and persisted in the conquest
by the Romans. The first public library
in Greece is said to have been established
at Athens by Pisistratus, probably about
the time he caused the ballads of Homer to
be collected and put into permanent form
This library was taken to Persia by Xerxes,
returned by Selencus Nicator, pillaged by
Sylla and returned by Hadrian. Large
collections of books were made by Euclid,
Euripides, and especially by Arts.
totlc, whose library, after pass
ing through two generations
was purchased by Ptolemy Phlladelphus
and transported to Alexandria. The first
library at Rome was that of Paulus Emi-
Illus (167 B. c. the booty of war in Mace
donia, Libraries subsequently became
common, and in the Augustan age, men of
culture We'd in their collections. Luculus,
Yarro aud Cicero were enthusiastic collec-
tors of books. Caesar projected the for
nation of a public library that should
contain all the works in Greek and Latin
literature. His untimely death prevented
the realization of this and many other
splendid projects. Augustus established
the Octavian and Palatine public libraries
the latter continuing until the time of Pope
Gregory |. The most celebrated ancient
| Libraries was that at Alexandria, which is
said to have contained 100000 volumes,
| much inferior, however, to modern volumes
! in average size. 1t included the libirarylof
the kings of Pergamus, of 900 volumes
presented by Antony to Cleopatra, and af-
ter suffering repeated diminutions, is saidto
have been destroyed by order of the Caliph
Omar, furnishing fuel for the 1000 public
baths of Alexandria for six months.
HEHoTYPEs.-Th Cairo Social Science
Association has recently received from
Cambridge, full set Of the Gray Collec.
ton of Engravings. The collection con-
tains the choicest and most costly proofs OF
many of the best engravers of the world
and represents the best works Of Raphael
Titiom, Carnegie, Guido, da Vinci, Angelo
and Neville. This reproduction of rare
etchings and artist proof engravings worth
thousands Of dollars, brings the treasures OF
art galleries within reach of all and affords
hitherto unattainabe means of arts edu-
cation.
THE Cairo Public Library is indebted to
the Hon. J. r. Thomas, NJ. c., for severa
volumes of congressional reports, including
the report of Halls Arctic exploring expe.
dition.
THE regular exercises of the Woman''
Club and Library Association, held or
Wednesday last, were Of unusual interest
An able and instructive sketch OF
the life of the poet Burns was
lead by Mrs. W. II. Smith, anc
some happy and appropriate selections from
the poets writings, were given by severa
members of the association, short extrac
by Mrs p. A. Powell and Mrs. Candee anC
part of "'rhe Cottei's Saturday Night" by
Mrs. Hudson, and the beautiful Lament
of Mary Queen Of Scots by Mrs. William
Winter. Owing to Miss Thompson's alb
sence from the city, the paper upon thu
prose writings Of Burns was omitted
The exercises concluded with poem by
Mrs. Rittenhouse, entitled "Out of the
Depths" a beautiful, domestic idyl, re
plete with exquisite word pictures and tina
"touch of nature" which drew tears to thu
eyes of the listeners. 1t was finely rcac
by Mrs w. p. Wright and both the poem
and its rendition deserve the high en-
encomiums passed upon them and large
audience than can be accommodated in tn,
Library room.
QUITE a number of new books are ex
pccted at the Library within few day
among them being Sunshine and Storm il
, the East, or Cruises to Cypress and Con
|, .to,,;nnnlo 0ond ui,rn;ao roun1 tho TIL.