Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-01-23
TWO MILLION VOLUMES.
The Great Library of Parls.-The Biblio-
theque NatiOnaie.-fhe Largest Libra.
nv in the World.
From the Paris American Register.

ry in the World.
From the Paris American Register.
4 splendid illustration of the art of
book-making is furnished every week.
day at the Bibliotheque Rationale. /
do not allude to the art of book-making
as practiced by the frequenters of Long
champs, or Chantilly or Fontainbleau.
Ne, this is less profitable avocation-
to the authors, at least-than the book
making OF the turf. mean the ever
lasting "demniton grind" Of them "lit-
erary fellers"-the making of "books of
which there is no end" as one of the
earliest of book-makers, 1.-THE earliest
royal author on record, save his father
himself informs us. And King Solo
mon spoke from direct experience and
practical knowledge of his subject.
To come down from his time to the
present moment, passing on the way
the millions of book-makers and the
millions of tons of forgotten lore which
they evoked from their inner conscious
ness, we step out of the Rue Richelieu
into the Sale du Travail of the great
Bibliotheque Rationale, the largest Ii
brary i'll the world, possessing over two
million volumes. Here one may read
and study any day in the year save Sun
days and fete days, from 10 a. M, tc
p. m. The only essential is card,
which is furnished gratuitously by the
administration of the Bibliotheque, on
presentation of proper introduction, such
as that of your minister-resident or
consul general.
1t is interesting to sit here at one of
these long desks and waite the hundreds
of workers each with book before him
(some have great pile OF them) and
with pen in one hand, the other, mean
while, turning the pages which are be-
ing rapidly skinned by the practiced
eye of the skillful workman. As soon as
he catches sight of passage contain
ing something of interest to the subject
which he is writing on, he impales it
so to speak-with his pen, and down it
goes into his huge memorandum-book.
Vast tones ale thus manufactured here
year after year-works on science, his
tory, travels, discovery, bellies lettres;
everything, in fact, and these volumes
60 to fill up our libraries, to lend a
feeble glory to the bookmaker's name,
and, finally. to feed the ever-hungry
paper-mill.
You should 60 tothe Biblotheque on
some Tuesday or Friday, on which days
it is free to the general public without
card. You may then see the wondrous
collections of illuminated missals, pray
er-books, ETC.. the 100000 medals (if
you have time to examine so manyl):
the curious old deeds and roval DEGREES
signed by Francis |, Louis XIII, Louis
XIV, and dozens of grand monarchs;
also the large collection of rare auto
graph letters of such illustrious people
as Mary, queen of Scots. Napoleon l.
Nine. de la Valliere, Racine, Moliere
Benjamin Franklin, Rousseau, Nine. de
Stael and a hundred others, who have
filed large page in the book Of this
worlds history.
Some authorities declare that there
are 100000 engravings in the Bibli-
theque, others say 100000 Now,
who is to decide it? There is but Il
triAing difference of 260,000-a mere
bagatelle, as you see! The fact is, there
are so many such things at the Bibli-
otheque that it is doubtful if anyone,
even the keepers themselves, know ex-
actly how many there are. They tell
us that there are also 100000 maps and
plans, 100000 manuscripts, and host
of other interesting things such rs
Hannibals suit of armor, one Of Jo-
sephus' manuscripts, the whole of Fen
elon's original manuscripts of the
"Telemaque" in his own handwriting,
etc.
To Louis XIV is usually ascribed the
honor of founding this vast Biblio-
theque Rationale, in 1000, though
Louis Nil left $4,000 volumes toward
its endowment. 1t is growing rapidly
all the while. OF course. there are
many duplicate volumes of certain
books to meet the demands of students
and others who wish to Consult certain
works often. On the other hand, Of
some books this BibliQtheque possesses
the only copy known to exist. 1t has
many extremely rare and, consequent
ly, costly books.
Among the other good things attach
ed to the Bibiotheque Is school of
living Oriental languages, and distin-
guished professors deliver free lectures
on philology, etc, during each winter.
There are other courses OF study ar
ranged in connection with the Biblio-
theoue,