New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-07
ON THE PRESENTATION OF TREASURES.

| on THE PRESERVATION OF TREASURES.
The burning OF the Turin Library is recOg-
nized an irreparabe catastrophe. Unique
literary treasures were absolutely lost forever
TO the world. There were ancient manuscripts
which never had been translated and whose
contents were unknown 10 the present world.
There were many Others and there were books.
OF known value, but OF which no copies exist All
are now gone beyond recall, and the learning OF
the world is so much the poorer Nor is It safe
to say there will be no moro such losses. Other
priceless libraries, even that of the Vatican it
self. are probably no more secure from fire than
was that of Turin.
The lessons OF this mournful event should
not pass UNDECIDED. Surely they are sufi-
GENTLY obvious 10 make their appeal to every
custodian Of literary treasures and TO every
muniAcent patron of arts and learning. The
first is, OF course, to make every library build
ing as hreproof possible. That had notori-
| ously not been done at Turin. We have no
knowledge that IT has been done at the Vatican
or at any OF the ancient repositories OF liter
AIRY treasures in the Old World. Yet It would
be quite feasible to do so in every case, and
that generally without destroying or impairing
the antique beauty OF the buildings. To trans
form the Vatican, or the Bibliotheque Rationale
or the Bodleian. into fireproof building might
not make SO great show as the erection of
new building or the founding of new college,
but Il would be OF more real benefit.
Again. there should be impressed upon all
whom it may concern the eminent and urgent
desirabillty of making copies OF all unique
manuscripts and books From the antiquarian
point of view, a copy can never be as precious
as the original. From the utiltarian point OF
view, II may be more valuable. The general
regret OF scholars at the destruction of the
Turin Library would have been great in any
| case. But II would have been much moderated
by the knowledge that accurate copies of all
the books and manuscripts were to be found
| elsewhere. What a superb benefaction II would
be to the world IL some munifcent philan-
thropist should cause exact copies to be made
OF all the unique manuscripts in those Old
World libraries, and should give copy Of each
to each OF the great national Libraries OF the
world,
This. we believe, should be done and we be-
leve that an individual, corporation or n GOV
eminent would win the undying gratitude of
the world by doing IL. Perhaps the doing of
the whole work is too much to ask save after
many years. The Vatican alone has 5000
manuscripts. the Royal Library at Munich has
26,0o0 the Bodleian has 10000 and the British
Museum and the BiblIotheque Rationale at
Paris nearly 100000 each. OF course. COM
paratively few Of these are unique or uncopied.
yet enough are of that description to make the
task OF copying and printing them a stupendous
one. But IL only few hundred out OF those
hundreds OF thousands were thus dealt with
the gain to the world would be inestima BILE
Really, there seems to be incumbent upon some
body the duty of undertaking such a work
There are some things, many things, that must
remain uncopied and unique, and men must
travel to the other side of the world to see
| them. Such things we must dc our best 10
preserve forever But more than four cept,,ries
aRo the art preservadve Of all arts enabled M