The sun., 1903-11-19

pOpes n Bewfldeffng MaZc-1he Gar,
the baron and the Long Lost bog.
parts Correspondence Of the Courier des B,a,s -Unfs
When the news came that a fire had broken
out in the Vatican, the civilized world
shuddered at the thought of the irreparable
loss to humanity which would follow even
the partial burning of the palace Of the
Popes. Happily we have only to dsplore
the destruction of the Codex Marcellianus,
of ono very ancient rapyrus, Of few early
printed books and some old engrsvings.
No doubt those who are inclined to Justify,
under any pretext, the prophesies Of Mala-
chi, which are known to be apocryphal, in
spite Of their many happy hits. will not fail
to find in this accident the ignis urdens which
designates the successor of Leo XIII, who
was the iumen IN tGto, according to their
explanation of the comet in his coat of arms.
The Vatican is world in itself, and it's
archives, recently threatened, are ia a sense
the archives of humanity. Even those
who have visited the Vatican have only a
small idea of it's immepsity. 1t is not one
palace; 1t is an entanglepent OF palaces.
in which there are museums, luxuries OF all
sorts, riches and poverty. Many Of it's
apartments are as empty Of all ornament
as the cells Of cloister.
The Louvre, the Tuiiieries and Versailles
cannot be compared in extent to the Vati-
can with it's thirty magnificent halls, nine
galleries seven grand chapels, twenty
courts, eight state staircases, two hundred
staircases for ordinary use several museums,
the library, the archives and twelve thou
sand rooms. One single palace in Europe
rivals the Vatican in grandeur, and few
people know that that palace is in Portugal.
1t is the convent -pala Of Maria, one Of
the follies Of King John ", who was a
megalomanac.
The Vatican, taken as whole, presents
al first sight nothing regular or imposing.
From that viewpoint the Versailles palace
is superior to it. 1t was Celestne III.
who commenced the Vatican, ard almost
all the Popes since his time have added
to it building or some interior decoration.
Each one left his mark. The last was
made by Leo XIII who finished the Borgia
apartments. On entering the Vatican the
visitor becomes bewildered by its splen-
doris, and as he advances he is puzzled by
the obscurity in the order of the labyrinth.
He is astonished at the apparent irregularity
of construction, at that absence Of har-
all is unity, hierarchy. and harmony. It
presents, so to speak, the republic In archi-
lecture; but close study of the curious
ensemble Of buildings throws a clear light
upon the chaos of centuries, and startles
the Intelligence.
All the great artists of the Renaissance
have adorned the Vatican with their MASTER
pieces, while the museums were filing
with the works of antique art. The most
conspicuous are found in the Raphael gal
antique frescoes and rnosaics the museum
Pho Clemeniino where we see the LAGOON,
the Apollo Bslvedere, the Mercury, the
Antinous, the Perssus, the Wrestlers and
the Melsager. In regard to the last named
there is an amusing little story When
the Car Nicholas I. visited the museum
Of the Vatican be was accompanied by
Baron Visconti whose erudition at last be-
gan TO plague him. When he stood before
the Msleager. the Emperor pointed to the
tone OF voice asked, "To what race does
that dog belong?"
THE lost race, Sre!- replied viscont.
The Emperor had no more questions to
ask; 80 he remained silent.
scum, the Galleria Lapidaria with the pagan
and Christian inscriptions, the Egyptian
museum, the Mruscan museum, the lay
museum with its jewels, statuettes and
utensils Of antiquity, the holy museum
the rapyri room with ma nuscripts of the
"Aldobrandini Wedding" with a iresco
of ancient Rome, the hall OF the BY zantne
paintings, the cabinet of medals, the pict-
ure gallery, the gallery of tai estries which
in Italy are called "Arazsi," because the
first tape 'tries came from Arras, and finally
the library and the archives.
The library built by Seytus ", was
formed by Nicholas ", who gathered into
il 5000 manuscripts, to which were added
many libraries. Including one from Queen
Christina of Sweden, who, as is known.
had NIonaldesohi killed in her presence
in the palace OF Fontainebleau. At the
present time the library of the Vatican
contains more than 1850 Greek, Latin
and Oriental manuscripts, and more than
a hundred thousand volumes, which is
comparatively small number, but it is the
extreme rarity of several Of the works
which makes the 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 surmounted bv busts and
vases. As for the archives which reach from
the famous ConstantiniaI donation TO the
question of the NomiadrR Nobis,--they were
Kept strictly secret up to the tine Of Loo
XIII, who ordered them to be opened to
all in search Of historical truths, No doubt,
matters of contemporar eous history are
not given out but everyt hing which belongs
10 ancient history is open to the public.
One day Cardinal said 10 Leo KILL LET