The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-06-30


Ages were always the chief librarians.
The library was often a part of the
Church building itself, and was known
among the ancient writer's by the name
of secritarium, etc. 1t is impossible to
give even catalogue of all the many
famous libraries established under the
auspicies of the Church, and above all
the untiring efforts Of the so-called il
literate and lazy monks.
| That of Rome, in the Lateran Basil
lea, founded by St. Hilary, Pope in the
9Th century, has escaped from the van-
dalism Of the barbarians and Of our
modern revolutionists. "Transferred
to the Vatican remarks Archbishop
Spaulding, ''it has shared the immor-
tality of the Eternal City and is at the
present day the one which is most
famous for old manuscripts and the
richest ancient lore. Tie suite of rooms
in which it is contained is nearly q
quarter Of mile long, and is surpass-
1ngIy rich and Splendid
There was library at Constantinople
of one hundred thousand manuscript
volumes; another at Alexandria, burnt
in the 9TH century, by the order of
Caliph Oma, of seven hundred thousand
manuscript tones. There Wera extern
sive libraries adjoining the Cathedrals
of Hamburg, Cologne. Paderbo1n, and
many others all over Europe.
We need hardly say that there were
hundreds of libraries attached to the
monasteries. :szagu
The labors OF the monks in the scrip
torium, their ambition to increase the
number OF their books, are abundant
evidence of the care bestowed by them
on their libraries.
Add to these the libraries attached to
the universities, as well as to the con-
venticle, and the grasuitous OF parish
schools. Education in those days was
to a great extent oral. Lectures and
explanations Of competent professors
were to develop the natural talent of the
pupil, to energizs the inert faculties, to
stimulate his latent capabilities Of &C.
tion. It was not mere erudltion to
which distinguished writer has sar-
castically applied the words of the poet.
"'t is mine t is thine-'t, may be
another's.'' 1t was not a training that
could be obtained by devouring hun
dreds Of volumes a year without assi1ns
ilating their contents into the constitu~
tion of the mind. It was not g crude;
incoherent collection Of another's
thoughts and views, This is well nigh
all the information possessed by our
reading public. Thls is what many who,
boast OF the enlightenment OF these;
days called information.
Not to mention the large public IL
braries, such as that founded by st.
Louis at the Holy chapel, in Paris,
where he himself was in tha habit Of
conversing with learned men; or the
Marcan library at Florence, where such
scholars as Pleas or Mirandola and
Politan went to discuss questions of
philosophy and history. There were
numerous others Of less note, accessible
to the common people. The smaller
book Of the Abbey of Croyland number
ing more than four hundred, and con.
sisting of Fathers, psalters and poets
might be lent for day to boys and the
acquaintances OF the monks. Tie mag
nifcent library of st. Victor, in Paris.
was open to the public on three days Of
the week. There were even public
libraries attached to some parish
churches. Baptist Coy, the first curare
of the Magdaleine in Paris, Let his
libraries to the Church-one for the use
of the clergy Of the parish. and the other
for the poor parishioners. The library
Murrcello, at Florence, was founded by
a vlrtuous prelate for the use of the
public, and especially of the poor, as is
testified by the inscription: "Publica
ct maxine pauperum utilitate.'
Modern critics have remarked that
the prodiglous number Of books pub
lished during the twelfth century, at
tests the existence of multitude of
readers. They admit that in the city
and feudal life Of those times, very MANY
persons of all classes employed them
selves in reading, and reasoning upon
the books they read. Even the Pro-
vencals Of the Troubadours, felt the
influence of classical antiquity; for it
contains some literal limitations of the
Latin poets, and one Troubadour es-
pecially cites Plato, Homer and Virgil.
That classical learning was not at that
time wholly neglected might be Inferred
from the writings of many whom OBJ
scure fame hath concealed from ordi-s
nary readers; but the compositions Of.
distinguished men, throughout the
series of ages, place the point beyond
question. S. ss
Perhaps after al, il were wise toE re-s
Iauat s1 .s.Is| is