Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-11-24


the wlndow-caps on the west front look
ing toward the Capitol, but these liter
airy celebrities have not yet been Be-
lected. The keystones Of the window
arches on the four faces OF tho structure
bear sculptured heads representing the
thirty-three types OF races OF mankind
recognized by ethnologlsts. They were
made from models and pictures at the
National Museum. under the direction
of Prof. Otis 7. Mason.
Foreign Libraries.
The British Museum, though archi-
tecturally only an uncouth as emblage
OF buildings, has the finest library In
the world. With one exception It is the
largest. In cosmopolitan interest 1t 10
without rival. possessing the best
Hungarian collection out OF the coun-
try, the best Dutch library out OF Hoi-'
land, and, In short. the best library In
any. European language outside OF
the territory in which the language Is
vernacular. The Chinese books num-
Der n, cO0.' The biggest library in ex-
istence Is the Bibliotheque Rationale at
Paris, which has 1900, 900 bound vol
umes. The oldest of great modern
libraries, 1t has had the aid OF several
kings and other powerful personages
since its formation. The beginning OF
It was the collection Of King John, the
Black Princes captive. who bequeathed
1t to his successor. Charles v. There is
no general catalogue for the use OF
readers.
The Vatican Library at Rome was
founded in the fifteenth century by Pope
Nicholas V. However, 1t was based on
collections far more ancient. ana there
Is evidence that pontifical library ex-
listed from the fifth century. The pres
ent building was erected by Sixtus V.
in 1888. 1t contains 900, 100 printed vol
umes and $4,000 manuscripts, 1t Is
open 10 the public only between Novem-
Der and June, and Is always closet on
Sundays and feast days. There Is no
proper catalogue, and the Librarians
rely on imperfect written lists. The
third largest library in the world Is the
Imperial Public Library at st. Peters
burg, which claims / 900, 600 volumes.
The most ancient libraries known OF
were those of Assyrla. Only forty years
ago discovery was made of the royal IL
brary at Nineveh. Digging brought to
light the chambers that contained 1t, the
floors of which were covered foot deep
with clay tablets bearing cuneiform
characters, many of which were SO
small as 10 require magnifying glass
for reading them. These were the
books of that strange and warlike people
OF antiquity, the tablets being inscribed
with stylus while soft and aiterward
baked. The library belonged to the
luxurious monarch Sardanapalus, who
was great patron of literature. 1t in
cluded 10000 distinct works, some ex-
tending over many tablets, methodically
arranged and catalogued. The institu-
ton was open to the public. Most OF the
tablets which were found whole are now
in the British Museum. In ancient
Egypt were many libraries, such col
lections being usually deposited in tenn
pies and at the tombs OF kings. The
books were written on papyrus scrolls.
Under the Ptolemies the biggest OF the
libraries. at Alexandria, had 49n,0
volumes or rolls. 1t was destroyed ac-
cidentally by the spreading OF the
flames when Cesar set fire to the fleet
in the harbor.