Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-19
THE VATICAN LIBRARY.
One of the Most Interesting of the Sight.
of the Eternal CITY,

OF the Eternal City.
One of the most interesting sights in
Rome, says letter from the Italian capital.
is the vatican library. 1t is said to contain
-, $50 manuscripts, a large proportion of
which are oriental and Greek. 1t practic-
ally dates from the beginning of the seven
teenth century, when the most important
collections were embodied in it. The
visitor on first entering the vatican finds
himself In brightly, not to say gaudilv.
painted room, on the floor of which. dot
ted at intervals, are brightly painted cup
boards. In these cupboards- safe, COM
modlous, dry receptaces- great mass
OF manuscripts which form tn glory of the
library are stored. Every here and there
among the cupboards are various works of
art, gifts to different popes, and glass
covered cases and tables, such as are to be
found In other libraries, contain such IL
Illuminated manuscripts and other treasures
as are best suited for exhibition.
The cases and tables are carefully covered
up with wooden shutters. Among the
treasures In these cases are not only the
famous Terence, several famous Virgils, the
Palatlne Virgil among them, and many
other manuscripts of the classics, but also
the world-famOus manuscript of the Greek
bible, the well-known but little studied
Codex-V aticanus.
This famous manuscript has hitherto
been so jealousy guarded that even pro-
fessed scholars have found it difficult to OBJ
tam more than passing glimpse of it.
More liberal cOunsels have now, however,
come to prevail. One other treasure also
to be found In the same case is the palimp-
sest copy, discovered by Cardinal Nal, of
Clcero's grafton, ''De Republica. The
most interesting feature In this interesting
fragment Is the complete success with
which the ancient underlying writing has
been recovered. 1t is hardly possible to
believe that the clear, well-defned letters
before you have been covered up with other
writing for perhaps 1000 years.
The great hall which forms the main
building Of the library terminates in a
series OF corridors of enormous length.
On the floor Of these are arranged the
various presents given to the present pope
last year on the attainment of his jubilee
All along the walls are vases filed with
countless and almost inestimable treasures.
In one is a collection of articles gathered
from the catacombs and early Christian
tombs; In another collection of chalices
and patens and other early church plate;
eIOCI tllIo 81 "OIlucIIuu SERIES VI SpeCIHlcIS
of the early Florentine painters, from
Cimabue downward, arranged chronologic-
ally; opposite these again is small col
lection of the most lovely paintings, some
of them early Christian paintings from
the catacombs; others heather works found
from time to time in the neighborhood of
Rome
There is another series of most interest
4ho
called, built by Alexander VI. These
rooms are now devoted to printed books,
which, as in an ordinary library, are here
arranged ON shelves along the wall. The
ceilings are most beautifully painted by
Pinturicchio The pictures seem singularly
beautiful, particularly the series represent
inc scenes from the Savior,s Life