The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-01-09
He is Distinguished Author and High
Authority on Historical and Eccles-
iastical Subjects.
William E. Curtis Writes About the Vatican
Library and its Many Precious
Literary Treasures.

Father Francis Ehrle, project of the
pontifcal library, who will have charge
of the papal exhibit at the St. Louis
exposition, is a famous scholar and
high authority on historical and &C.
clesiastical subjects, says w. E. Curtis,
in the Chicago Record-Herald. He
was born at Isny, in the kingdom of
Wurtemburg, Germany, October 18TH,
1845, and educated at the gymnasium
of Feldhirch, Borolberg, Austria, and
at the Jesuit college at Munster, West
pha1ia. His first work was done in
England in the missions of Liverpool
and Hull, where he had charge of the
spiritual affairs of workhouse and
made study of pauperisn, the sup
preston of mendacity and the relief
of distress. He has written a great
deal upon these subjects, including a
history of the English method of car
ing for the poor, entitled 'The History
and Reform of the Poor Laws" AZ
ter spending several years in mission
work he was transferred to Brussels,
and afterward to Rome, where he en-
gagged in historical studies and pro-
duced in German a learned and ex-
haustive History of the Church and
Its Literature in the Middle Ages"
This was an enormous task, there be-
ing seven volumes of 700 pages each,
containing almost entirely new mater
Al, which he obtained by patient re-
search in the archives Of Germany,
England, Spain and Italy. This work
made him famous among historians,
for it is looked upon as one of the
most important contributions to his
tory of recent years. He has also
written Latin history of the papal
library from the year 1900 to 1417,
most important period, for during
those 217 years the Catholic church
was almost the only patron of art and
letters. This is work of 300 pages.
He has also written, in connection
with the late Mr.. Stevenson, history
of the Vatican palace and descriptions
of the frescoes of the Borgia apart
ments, now occupied by the new sec
retary of state. These are among the
most celebrated of the artistic trea-
sures of the Vatican, and have been
the subject of several authors.
Father Ehrle has been a frequent
contributor to the reviews and other
periodicals., both secular and eccle-
siastic, and has attained an eminent
position in science as we'll as letters.
He was called to the Vatican by Leo
XIII in 1895 to become prefect of the
library, where he has distinguished
himself by his learning, his taste and
executive ability, and has won the es-
TEEN and gratitude of all of the many
students and scholars who have been
digging in that wonderful mine of his
torical wealth for the last eight years.
Since Leo XIII came into power
the archives of the Vatican and the
manuscripts of the library have been
accessible to historians. During the
last eight years, since Father Ehrle
has been in charge, they have been
open to all serious students, and every
possible assistance is given to those
who are engaged upon important
works. 1t is only necessary for an
applicant to bring letter of creden-
tials from some bishop or the faculty
of university as certificate Of
character, and the treasures are at his
disposal with a desk for reading and
writing, and such advice as is neces-
sary and useful in persuing his in
quiries. At the same time it is neces-
sary to take every precaution for the
protection OF the priceless manu-
scripts deposited there.
Father Ehrle's predecessor died Of
broken heart because very valuable
and beautiful volume was mutilated by
visitor to whom he had intrusted it.
The man had been accustomed to
come to the library almost daily for
several months and was familiar fig
ure there. He was furnished with such
books and manuscripts as he applied
for, and was treated like every other
\ ill