The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-29
THE EXTRAORDINARY
History Of Greatest Book Col
lection in the World.
GAINING 10000 EVERY YEAR.



Fron Rsyalsy-Lsss BY vaaAal-
~ 80 Firs.
PAREe. March ls.-TSpecial Correspon-
oence There are two vast repositories
Tor books. prints and manuscript in the
old world, the British Museum and the
National library Of France, both of which
names At once suggest 10 every cultured
mind thoughts of science, study and In
tellectual wealth.
Of these two rival establishments, the
French National Library is unquesfiona-
Oily the richer Of the two, IL not so much
on account Of the value of the works col
iected. at least by the numerical import
ance. A statement published in 1855 by
l. Leopold Delish. the chief librarian, esti-
mates At near upon :, zoos GO the number Of
books and pamphlets then under his
charge; and they have since gone on &C
cuml1fine ~ the rate Of 70.0a0 year.
What difference these huge collections
oder to the modest libraries which the
monks in their monasteries and the bish-
ops in their cathedrals hruugh. together
after the wreck of the Roman empire. The
belonged 10 the Abbey OF Luxenii and the
cathedral OF Charities: the latter has sur
sived all revolutions until this day, and
its existence is uninterrupted from the
ninth to the nineteenth century No pos
tive record of kings library can be found
AZ this early date. but an animation that
something OF the sort must have existed is
clearly given rs. II is stated that Pepan
hA kA<>w9 e. n - =
that Pope Paul l. sent him several as
gift Still fonder of manuscripts was
Charlemagpe, who was the first collector
and the nrst lover Of books Of his time.
He not only bought up manuscripts, but
had them copied under his own eyes in .
kind of school which was annexed 10 his
palace at Aix-la-Chapeile; sometimes he
would keep the copies for his own use.
and at other times made present of them
to different monasieries. One of the manu-
scripts has been preserved; it is the
Evangelistary OF Godescale, which may be
seen at the French National library. lis
illuminated pages are very tine. The SIM
plicity of the drawing recalls the art school
Of the Latin. and the byzantine school by
the complication of its symbolic accessor-
les. After Charlemagne, We have Charles
the Bold, who IS represented at the Ma
tional library by two copies of the Bible
which belonged 10 him. numbered and
in the collection of Latin manuscript
After Charles the Bold. We must come
down 70 Saint Louis (122S-l270) to find any
trace of q royal library" From the in
PRODUCTION of Christianity into France to
the time of Saint Louis, the few books to
be found in the kingdom mostly belonged
TO the numerous comments which had been
gradually established, and were confined
TO copies Of the Bible, treatises of the faith
ers, canons, missals and q few Greek and
Latin authors. Saint Louis ordered copies
10 be made of all these manuscripts, and
had them arranged in q room at the Sainte-
Chapelle. Paris, where he had study also
organized for himself. The king, however,
becueathed the collection to several mon
asteries at his death. Only q missal Of
that epoch remains at the National library
it contains thirty-three large illuminated
drawings and about a hundred smaller
ones. King John II. of France, who was
for many years . prisoner in England. was
fend of books and beguiled his captivity.
BY reading them :, he had several In his
baggage al the battle of Poictiers. But We
have no record so far of anything like a
royal library; and even that oxned BY the
latter monarch did not exceed eight or ten
volumes.
But his successor, Charles the v.
who patronixed letters. caused many a
rare work to be copied, and others TO be
translated, so that, what with these and
some that were presented TO him, he
formed goodly library Of about !, 30 vol
umes- Christina, of Pisan, testifies ITO
the wisdom of King Charles and his great
love of study aud science. as exemrliiied
by his store OF remarkable books. his
handsome library wherein were TO be
found ali the works of the most celebrated
authors, brought together for the use
OF The kingdom and all Chrisiendom. "
This collection. by no means scanty one,
considering that printing was then en-
art as yet unknown. was placed for safe
keeping IN : tower at the Louvre, called ia
tour de Ia Fauconnerie." and consisted Of
Illuminated missals and other religious
works. legends of saints and miracles and
,reatises upon assrology, geonancy and
pasm.ssry- An inventory of the whole
was dra<sn up al The kings request by his
secretary, GILES Maiet. To afford literary
persons an opportunity of consulting st
al! times this library, 8 silver lamp was
kept constantly bGrning in the tower.
Unfortunately, this collection was also
dispersed under Charles VI. and scarcely
five or six of the works are known 30 exist
al the present day. Al the same epoch
the kings brothers, Loais. Dake of Anjou.
and especially John. Duke de Berry,
brought together IN their respective cas-
ties some marvellous collections. which. at
latter day. helped II enrich the Bibfio-
tsessse sie Kei, or kings library.
Neither Charles VII. nor Louis XII.
were oyer-fond os or curious about books
but Charles VIII. brought hack some
precions manuscript. from Italy. Louis
Mi. caused the hooks ne owned 10 he
transferred 10 Blois. when, by right Of con-
quest or otherwise, the libraries OF the
sEorxa and az Nisconti from Payla. Pc
irarcass treasarers and tie whole library
Of Louis of Brases. one OF the richest Of
tire time. were added 10 the slow!y in
creasiar collection. Ii w2s during this
reign that Jean Bogrdiclon following in
the footsteps of Jean Eo19uet. painter 20
the kiagl. executed masterpiece. al pres
etf preserved 81 the National library. viz
the book Of hours q. Ann 81 Brittany.
We nov reach the close Of the fifteenth
century. 81 atine when the at oil print
ing had been spplssa FOR upwards of forty
wears and books had multiplied in 50 pro-
aigious manner that We may vel DC sGr-
prsse~i at the OUTPUT. especially consider