The herald., 1895-04-28

Under the management of Able Bignon
the library was removed to IFS present
home in the Rue Richelieu. A few years
before the revolution the total humble OF
printed books was 5000 The revou-
tion was serviceable to the library now
called Bibliotheoue Natiaonale by increas-
ing it with forfeited collections belonging
to exiles and the suppressed religious
communities. Napoleon increased the
government grant, and by the riot en-
forcement of the law concerning new pub
locations realized in part his idea that the
library should be universal in character.
The official estimate of the number OF
volumes in this great library reaches the
/ extraordinary total of 2, $50, 600. The an
nual additions are 40, 600. The collection
of books on French history is IN itself
an enormous library of 440. 600 volumes.
The maps and charts are said to number
800, 600. The manuscripts numbered IN
1876. 81. 700 volumes, and the department
of meals possessed in 1873. l43, 030 coins.
The Royal Library of Munich contains
the largest collection of books in Ger
many. 1t was founded by Duke Al
brecht " of Bavaria (l550-79J, who made
numerous purchases from Italy and in
corporated the libraries of the Nurem-
berg physician Schedel and of j. J. Fug
gel. The nLmb Der of printed volumes is
close TO 1000, 900. 1t is especially rich
in incunabula, many of them being de-
rived from the libraries of the monasteries
closed in 1903.
The building erected for this collection
under King Louis l. in lS32-43 is consid-
cred model library structure.
The archives are bestowed IN the ground
floor, while the two upper floors are de-
voted to the library, which occupies sew
enty-seven departments.
Berlin is well supplied with Libraries,
seventy two being reg stered i'll 1879. The
largest is the Royal Library, founded by
the Great Elector Frederick William, and
opened by him in 1861.
The largest library i'll Austria. and one
OF the most important collections in Eu-
rope, is the Imperial Public Library,
founded by the Emperor Frederick III.
in 1440. although its illustrious librarian,
Lam becius, attributes this honor to Fred
erick's son. Macmillan. The sum de-
voted annually to the purchase OF books
is % $50 forms. The main library is said
to be one of the most splendid halls in
Europe.
AS the old center of civilization, Italy of
cou Sc is the country where the Oldest
libraries are found. and where the must
valuable MSS. are preserved. The Nati
can library at Rome and the Laurentian
library at Florence are sufficient to rank
Italy before the other states i'll that res
pect. In spite of long centuries of perse-
cution and suffering Italy is still rich in
books and MSS. There are probably
more books in united Italy than in any
country except France.
When the Italian government published
its valuable report in 1865, which showed
that while the number of books in Aus
tria G., 40S. 000) was greater than the total
number in public libraries in Great
Britain, Prussia, Bavaria and Russia, it
was surpassed IN France e. 339 G00) and in
Italy g. 149. 2S6.
The Vatican library stands IN the first
rank as regards antiquity, since from the
middle of the fifth century we have evil
dence of a pontitical library at Rome.
Nicholas V, who reigned in 100, may be
considered the true founder.
Few libraries are so magnilicently
housed as is the Bibliotheca Vatican.
The famous Codici Natcana are placed
in the great double hall, which is decorat
ed with frescoes depicting ancient libra
ries and council of the church. At the
end of the great hall is an immense hall.
richly decorated and opening out from
right to left. The present official esti
mate is about $50, 900 volumes, including
$500 fifteenth century editions.
Among the 225, 500 MSS. are some of the
most valuable III thu world for antiquity
and intrinsic importance. The Biblioteca
Palatine in Florence is the largest library
in Italy. There are many valuable auto
graph originals of famous folks ia this
including Dante and the later
poets as well as the historians from Will
ami to Michiavell.
The Imperial library of st. Petersburg
is the third largest in the world. and now
claims to possess 1000, 900 printed vol
umes.