Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-07-20
TIE poPE.s lIeRARY.
senae of the Treasures 10 be Pound Upon
the Vatican Ho.sk shelves.

ssnse of the Treasures 20 be Pound Upon
the Vatican He.k shelves.
One Of the most interesting sights in
Rome. well known for the most part 10
students. but generally passed over by
the ordinary sightseer, Is the Vatican
library. Nothing in Rome gives such
sn impression of the wealth OF ths
Papal treasures as this matchless IL
brary, and visi. to il would help peo-
pie to form more just estimate OF the
contributions made at least BY some of
the Popes 10 the cause Of learning than
that which IL sometimes taken. The
library. which Is now extraordinarily
7 extensive. particularly in it, collection
81 manuscripts lit Is said to contain
At the present time p, $50 manuscripts
Ia all, a large proportion Of which ars
Oriental and t;reek--is not very an-
cient. II practically dates from tho
b,.ginning of the seventeenth century.
when the most important collections
were embodied in IL. There had been
indeed An earlier nucleus transported
from the I.ateran by Pope Nicholas V.
> In li47; but IL was the additions which
were made In and about the year 1900
that raised the Vatican 10 its place
among the great libraries Of the world.
The visitor on tirst entering the Vat
lean win probably be most struck with
its extreme unlikeliuess to any other
" library he has before seen. He linds
) himself in brightly, not to say gaud-
r lily. painted room. ON the hoor OF which.
dotted at intervals. are brightly
{ painted cupboards. II IL in these cup
4 boards--safe commodious. dry recep-
i tacles--that the great mass ol the
/. the manuscripts which form the glory
OF the library are stored. Every here
n and there among the eupbosrds are
various works of arr. gifts 10 different
a Popes, aud glass-cogered cases and
tables such a. are to be found in other
h. libraries. containing such illuminated
., manuscripts and other treasures are
IA, best suited for exhibition. The cases
and tables OF theyatican diner, how
e, ever. from the cases and tables of most
other libraries in being carefully COW
cred up with wooden shutters.
y Among the treasures TO be met with
n In these cases are not only the famous
OF Terence. several famous Virgils. the
N Palatine Virgil among them. and
many other manuscripts OF the classics,
~ but also what most students will turn
IN TO first, the world-famons manuscript
Of the Greek Bible. the well-kn0~n. bu
N, little studied. Vodex Vaiicanus.
n. The great hall which forms the maiI
b. building OF the library terminates In
~ corridor. or series of corridors, @
enormous length. On the fioor Of thes
IN are arranged the various presents give
q To the present Pope on the attainmen
Of his jubilee. All along the walls ar
cases filed with countless and almos
" inestimable treasures. In one Is col
In lection Of articles gathered from tn
er catacombs aud early Christian tomb'
ei In another a series of ieweled loon
brought from Russia; next comes
is. collection OF chalices aud pateBs AN
other early church plate; after this
tn, wonderful series Of specimens OF u
early florentine painters. from stai
Ir. bue downward. arranged chronolog
"a cally: opposite these again is sna
tn collection of most lovely painting
Il some of them early Christian pain
,th ings from the cataeombs; othe
I'm heather works found from time to tin
an, In the neighborhood Of Rome.
!. There Is another series OF most !
teresting rooms-the Borgia rooms.
they are called. built by Alexander '
,as These rooms are now devoted 10 print
n. hooks which, ~ In an ordinary librar
IN, are here arranged on shelves alo
~. the walls. The ceilings are ms
~ beautifully painted by Pintnriccl
n The pictures seem singularls beautif
wa, particularly the eeries representi
M, scenes from our Saviour's life.-I.
don Guardian.