Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-24
HISTORY IN THE VATICAN.
Archives, Now Open TO all Engaged in
Researches, Contain Material Re-
IatinE TO nil Nations--A
Unique Collection.

When the news came that a fire had
broken out in the Vatican, the civilized
world shudderod at the thought of the
irreparable loss to to humanity which
would follow even the partial burning Of
the palace of tho Popes. The Vatican is
a world in itself, and It's archives are in
a sense the archives of humanity. says
the foreign correspondent of the Phila-
dclphia Press. Even those who have WIS.,
tied the Vatican have only small idea
of its immensely. 1t Is not one palace
1t is an ENHANCEMENT Of palaces, In which
there arc museums. luxuries of all sorts,
riches and poverty. Many of its apart
ments are as empty OF all ornament as
the cells Of a cloIster.
The Louvre, the Tuilleries and Var
sailles cannot be compared In extent to
the Vatican with it's 80 magnificent halls,
Q galleries, grand chapels, 20 courts. S
state staircases, 200 staircases for ordin-
airy use. several museums the library,
the archives and 1900 rooms.
Then we come to the Chiaramonti mu-
scum the Galeria Lapidsrfa. with the
| Pagan and Christian Inscriptions the
Egyptian museum, the Etruscan mu-
scum. the lay museum. with its jewels,
statuettes and utensils of antiquity; the
holy museum with the objects found
in the catacombs; the papyri room. WITH
manuscripts of the fifth and eighth cen
turtles: the room of the "Aldobrandini
Wedding" with fresco Of ancient
Rome; the hall of the Byzantine paint
ings, the cabinet of medals, the picture
gallery, the gallery of tapestries. which
in Italy are called "Ara2zi." because the
first tapestries came from Arras. and
finally the library and archives.
The library built by Sextus V was form
cd by Nicholas V, who gathered into it
5000 manuscripts 10 which were added
many libraries, including one from Queen
| Christiana of Sweden who. as is known.
| has Monaldeschi killed i'll her presence
in the palace of Fcntaincbeau. At the
present time the library of the Vatican
| contains moro than 900 Greenk. Latin
and Oriental manuscripts, and moro than
100000 volumes which is comparatively
small number. but it is the extreme rarity
of several OF the works which makes tho
value of the collection.
| The library is on the ground floor and
| the books are not visible, shut up as
| they are in low cases surrounded by
busts and vases. AS for the archives,
! which read from the famous Constan-
! tinian donation to the question OF the
! Nominavit Nobis they were strictly So
cret up to the time of Leo Mi (who or
| dercd them to be opened to all in search
of historical truths No doubt matters
of contemporaneouS history are not given
out, but everything which belongs to an
cient history is open to the public. One
/ QHy a cardinal SAD TO Leo NIL. Let
me tell you, Holy Father. that the most
/ indefa tgable OF the seekers to whom you
have opened the archives of the Vatican
! is a Protestant"
Very well; so much tho better" re-
piled the Pope. I'VE have nothing 10
lose through the appearance of the truth
of history"
| Leo XIII was always pleased to see the
seekers at work and often at two o'clock
| in the afternoon the great folding doors
of the library would open to admit the
portatina. The Pope as he was carried
along slowly, smiled upon the workers,
who all rose and bowed. Some of them
! approached to kiss the hand of the Sow
creign Pontiff He gave them his bless
! ing and then made q sign to the others
TO continue their work Sometimes he
used to chat with one of them. taking
an interest in his labors and encourag-
| ing him with extreme benevolence,
These archives are not catalogued like
ours. by subjects TO facilitate the search
but by chronological order. by nuncaturo
and by correspondence. Tho missionaries
present to US the history Of the world
covering 10 centuries, and the nuncios give
us the history of every country. OF
| curate; but here and there an ndisputable
statement of fact sheds new light upon
| history and some recital explains an
event We know what treasures have
been given to us in this way by the
archives of the Republic of Venice through
ENJOYS.