The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-09-23
GREAT LIsRARIANs
some Who Have Eeen Great nnd Qualities
That Made Them 80

The first duty Of librarian IL TO
know his own library, what ii contains
and what IL lacks, where IL tx strong
and where il is weak ,knowlcdged deficit
encicnceB. In every science and everv
branch Of literature he must know at
glance what 10 purchase and what 10
reject, in order that he may pounce
instantly on 8 prize whenever there
IL n chance Of obtaining Il. Thus the
knowledge Of his own library carries
with IL 10y implication the knowledge
Of alI other libraries, and Of the whole
range Of letters ancicb;. modern and
contemporary. Such universal knowl-
edge is beyond the reach Of mortal
man, IL may be said, and - no doubt
IL is, but the librarian is he gho ail.
proacbes most nearly to this superlii-
man ideal. SnclI man, in his age.
was the great Magliabccli, man, in Isis
age, Of tho Medicean Library at Flor
ence in the seventeenth centnry. "Ipse
museum inainJuians iei rirn q,tOeia1s
biJtiOtieca" said the great Mabillon Of
this extraordinary man and the same
idea is expressed in more ingenious
form by another Of his contemporaries
who made Of his name, Antonius Mag
liabecbins, the clever nua9iam, "Is
1mis bibiotheea 0ngnn" Afagliabecli
lived in the library and took his meals
and his rest among hia books. IIe was
never In his life father from Florence
than Prato, whittier be went io consult
a manuscript, and yet he il said 70 have
known the contents Of every great IL
brary III Earol'e. A contemporary
scholar once wrote TO ask him for a
rare book, aud he replied that il was
not in his own library, nor in any
other save that Of the Gfanl Signio- ut
Constantinople, where il would bo
found on certain case nfar the public
entrance. But though Magliabechi
has probably never been SURPASSED for
knowledge Of books aud their uses, hc
affords in important respects an OK
ample TO los carefully avoided. Ills
passion for reading-the unpardon4ble
sin Of librrian-was only redeemed
by bis prodigiou memory, which en-
abled him 10 quote books TO those who
consulted him, giving Eos only the
text, but the edition, the page, aud al
most tho line, though bis total lack OF
order and system made his own cul-
lection chaos.
la this respect be was complete
,.,ssseaes a. .,.s.s - s..sf..f I
"ur own day, his fellow countryman
hy iiiah, though England ia proud TO
'~rkon among be greatest Of her adopt
81 ron 'he great Italian - whom VIC
"~c The present condition ofthe British
Museum i.ibr7ty. An even greater
coair.iat % the morosercss, jealousy
aud qasafrrlsvusensa uf the learned
fiorentirn y ffesente,l ia The ready
genislty and winning temrcr 0f the
late Dodlcy librarian,a Iaan a,iia never.
last friend and ~ho never made an.
enemy. Indeed, nae moral qualities
required in a great librarian are hardly
less rare or less necessary than his IN
tellectual attainments. lie must
hhAW hiti INEn btLAtF AAat nc kbOWS
books. lie must recognize a rogue by
instinct and detect an imroster at a
glance He must suffer gladly the
irritable race of scholars, and lac must
listen with patience TO the triyalities OF
sight-seers anil idle inquirois. His
knowledge must bc accessible TO every
one, and he must be the gnile, philo-
soPher and friend Of all Who come to
his library. He must lo at once pro-
dig.l and chary Of his Treasures, lavish;
~ revealing them 10 those who seek
with knowledge, aud rigil.y withhold
ing them from mere idle curiosity. In
word, be must l.e all things to all
men, treating knowledge with defer.
ence, tbs desire for il with encourage.
met and sympaiy, and even the hc. of
it with patience and good,humor