Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-27
Closing tho Vatican Library.

Owing to the discovery that a number
OF manuscripts have been stolen from the
Vatican Library. that great storehouse
OF priceless information has been closed,
and will remain closed for some time.
This Will prove a great blow to the
world OF literature and scholarship. which
had only recently been permitted to be-
gin the exploration OF the inestimable
treasury OF knowledge in question. The
Vatican Library ranks first among the
libraries OF Europe in antiquity and the
possession OF rare manuscripts. Its
nucleus was the Ponuhch Library
known TO exist In Rome in the middle
OF the 1fth century. Pope zachary 0h-
1922, himself Greek. added considerably
to this collection. especially In Greek
ccdices The library was carried
with the papal court. TO Avignon. and
upon the return of the popes to Rome
was permanently established in the Nati-
can. TO Nicholas V. OfF1i55). however
is accorded the credit OF being the true
founder OF the Biblioteca Naticana. that
Ponuf having increased the store by 5000
manuscripts.
Other notable early acquisitions were
the volumes rescued by Callxtus III.
O455-l45s) from the Turks at the siege
OF Constantinople; the Library OF the
Elector Palatine seized by Tilly at the
capture OF Heidelberg in 1922 and re-
ceived as a gift from Macmillan, Duke
OF Bavaria. by Gregory XIV; the greater
part OF the Library of Urblno. founded
by Duke FEDERICO. and which was bought
by Alexander VII. In 1855. and the col
lection OF books and manuscripts seized
by Gustavus Adolphus at the capture OF
Prague, Wurtzburg, and Bremen. This
latter formed the library OF Christina.
Queen OF Sweden, and at her death be-
came the property Of the Ottoboni family.
OF which Pope Alexander VIII. was the
head
For some 200 years preceding the latter
part Of the eighteenth century the Vati-
can Library enjoyed a season Of unin-
terrupted prosperity and accumulation.
Then a large number OF manuscripts and
articles OF vertu were carried off 10
Paris by the French. The most Of these,
with the exception of the Palatine manu-
scripts--a part OF the French plunder-
which were restored to Heidelberg were
returned in 1876 but the Heidelberg res
toration constituted a serious depletion Of
the Vatican treasures. one OF the
10 81 NJ 1fto Dncdeyp oR1fIi-
sitions OF the great collection was the
Library OF Cardinal Mai. which con-
sisted Of 1000 volumes. and was Sc
cured by Plus *.
The present building was erected by
Sixtus V. in 1858. and until the time of
Leo XIII. IT was for all practical pur-
poses Il sealed casket Leo MI. APP
pointed a committee 10 consider the publ
cation Of some Of the manuscripts, but
1t WAS left to the liberality of Leo XIII.
TO open the casket to the students OF
all nations. The privileges Of the library
have been under ironclad restrictions.
but the wisdom Of this must be recog-
nized, and is proved by the incident that
caused the closing Of the doors.
The thefts have been traced to a man
calling himself Professor Sardl. OF the
forty-one documents he is known to have
offered for sale. thirty-nine have been
recovered, but there is to be revision Of
the entire manuscript department to as
certain how much further the thie<Ag
may have extended. The fear i./uow
that, instead of charging the privileges
Of the library, the Vatican may deter
mine TO close 1t permanently
There is no complete catalogue Of the
Vatican Library. but the official estimate
OF its contents is 22o.oc0 volumes and .. Ooo
manuscripts. the riches OF which, as
above stated. the scholarship of the age
had just begun 10 explore.