The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-11

Oriental manuscripts. its papal diploms as.
its Latin documents and many other papers.
family documents mostly. which as yet
have not been sorted.
The celebrated Barberini Library. begun
by Cardinal francesca Barberini. the
nephew of Urban VIII. who built the great
palace Of his family with stones taken from
the Colosseum, which gave rise to the say
ing that the Barberini had done what the
barbarians had not" is perhaps the most
important private library in the world.
In the year 1879 the library of Cardinal
Antonio Bsrberini was added to il and the
manuscripts 1t contained increased TO the
number of 1900. During the eighteenth
and nineteenth centuries many precious
books and documents were stolen and
shortly afterward the entire library was
sold to the Vatican.
The Barberini Library contains. among
other priceless treasures. a collection OF
autographs by Cardinal Bembo and Calico
Gslilei. a Latin translation Of Plato, with
autograph notes by the poet Tasso, designs
by San Gallo and other celebrated archi-
tects, Byzantine miniatures. &c. There
are 900 Greek Goddess and twice a. many
Latin ones. many Of which are palimpsests.
Among the Oriental codices there is the
priceless and unique Samaritan Pentateuch.
There 10 a complete collection Of books
dealing with the history Of Roman archi-
lecture, many manuscripts Of celebrated
men and writer's and all the diplomatio
correspondence during the pontifcate Of
Urban VIII. and the sixteenth century.
Since the sale Of the Barberini Library to
the Vatican there are only two important
private libraries left intact In Rome, the
Bibliotheca Chigiana. belonging to the Chigi
family. and the Ribliotheca Corsiniana.
the property ones OF the Corsini, but now
Of the Italian State. The descendants Of
the old noble families have sold their books
and rented their palaces, and instead Of old
manuscripts and Oriental Goddess their
libraries OF to-day, il they deserve the
name. contain only French novels and So
ciety papers. bound uniformly in the same
color and in many cases used only as
ornaments.
The Chigi Library will in all probability
be soon sold. and with il the last Roman
private library will disappear. The Chigis
were a family OF bankers and one Of the
greatest Of art patrons in Rome. Its most
prominent members were Agostino Chigi.
owner Of the famous palace called La
Farnesina. which contains some Of the
most beautiful existing ~frescoes Of Raphael
and his school. and Fabio Chigi, who
mounted the papal throne as Alexander
VII. n who was the only Pope who re-
fused to seek the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF his
family and acknowledged the poor az his
only relations.
These two powerful men founded the
celebrated library which 10 still intact to
day 10 the Chigi Palace az Piazza ColonnA
and comprises 5000 manuscripts and 10, 900
rare printed books. The catalogue OF
this library has never been published.
but many distinguished photographers
have exa mined and described several Of
the collections existing in IL and a fairly
good idea Of its Importance can DO gathered
rom their works.
The greater part OF the manuscripts
refer TO the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries and especially TO the time OF
Alexander VII. who repressn nj ed the Holy
See as nuncio at Cologne before he was
elected Pope and took a principal part
In the peace negotiations at Munster under
Innocent X. All the correspondence during
this period. private and official, including
many secret letters OF the Pope and the
two Cardinals. Pancirolo and Pamfli, also
the correspondence Of the papal nuncios
accredited TO the Emperor and to Louis
XIV, and the Spanish and Venetian Am
baseadors at Minister, are collected In
sixty-three volumes.
There are besides oopious documents
relating to the pontifcate Of Alexander
VII. and neasy all the correspondence of
the papal representatives abroad. The pom
tincates Of Paul Ill. Plus ~. Sixtus ",
Clement VIII, Paul V. and Urban VIII.
are represented through autograph letters, |
i~nstrueions to Nunc.os. German