The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-08-17

braries being consulted. In the cele-
brated history Of the Council of Trent
by Pallavinco at almost every page
manuscripts existing in private libra
ries are cited, and in Ranke's His
tory Of the Popes" nearly all the ma
terial was collected from these librar-
les, as the Vatican archives were then
closed to the public.
Until the eighteenth century many
private libraries We're still in exist
ence. but at present only two remain
intact. The libraries of the Acquaviva.
Albizi, Bichi. Bona, Celsi. Cesi. Fon-
tanini, Imperiali. Massimi. Spada. etc.
have all disappeared. The famous AL
teri library. which contained import
ant documents about the pontificate of
Sixtus v. and all the manuscripts be-
longing to Pope Clement X. collected
by his nephew. Cardinal Poaluzzo AL
teri. has been reduced to only about
six or seven goddess.
The no less famous Albani library
was sold in 1857. Some manuscripts
were bought by Prince Boncompagni.
others by the Vatican library. but the
greater part were lost, as they were
purchased by the Prussian Govern
ment and the vessel that was carrying
them to Germany was wrecked.
Both the Boncompagni and the
up. The former was sold mostly abroad
while the manuscripts of the latter
were bought by the Vatican. The col
lection belonging to Cardinal Balda-
sarre Boncompagni is completely lost
and no trace Of it exists; only a COM
plete catalogue compiled by Narducci
remains to show how great the loss
was. A considerable collection of I'M
sorted manuscripts, among which were
the documents of Cardinal Marescotti
and many codes Of great value. was
sold by public auction in Rome a cou-
pie of years ago. and hardly single
page was left in Italy. almost every
thing being purchased by foreigners.
Several private libraries were for
tunately Incorporated in public llbrar-
les and thus saved from dispersal.
Thus all the manuscripts Of Cardinal
Baronius. the disciple Of st. Philip
Neri. who was made Cardinal in 1895.
now. form part Of the Bibliotheca YER
celliana, one of the most magnificent
the Oratorians, now used as Court
fof Assize. 81 ~s-
The manuscripts of Cardinals Bona.
Norris and Passionei are in the Biblio-
theca Angelica founded in 1904 by An
Eelo Rocca and containing over $780,
900 volumes and 2,945 manuscripts
This library was once owned by the
Austin Friars. but it was declared
State property in 1870.
The manuscripts Of Cardinal Casan-
alta are still in the library which bears
HIS name, the Bibliotheca Casanat
tensis, once owned by the Dominicans
and considered as the largest religious
library in Rome after that Of the Vac
tican. It consists Of 100000 printed
volumes and 4,500 manuscripts.
Many collections Of manuscripts and
books belonging to Cardinals and noble
Roman families are now to be found
outside Rome. Thus for instance, the
celebrated Manoscritti Farnesani be-
longing to Paul III and his his nephew
Cardinal Alessandro are in Naples and
Parama, the documents of Cardinal
Cerviniani are in Florence and those
Of Cardinal Garampi are at Rimini
The Vatican Library generally Sc
cures part Of the manuscripts belong
ing to Cardinals, and very often the
heirs of Cardinals estate spontan-
eGusly offer such documents as relate
u State affairs to the Vatican, as
was done in the cases Of the libraries
Of Cardinals Albani. Garampi and Bor-
khese. as we'll as the private library of
Giovanni Battista Confaloneri and
those of the noble families Bolongetti-
Cenci, Pho and Carpegna. During the
seventeenth century the vacatin Lii
brary was increased by the manu-
scripts belonging to Cardinals Srleti.
Baronius and Caraffa and also those of
Fulvio Orisni.
Pope Leo Kill, besides opening the
secret archives Of the Vatican to the
public. spent considerable sum of
money in purchasing private collect
ions Of manuscripts and books which
were added to the Vatican Library.
He bought for instance. the celebrated
Borghese Library, foulded by Cardinal
scipione Barghese. the wealthiest man
in the seventeenth century. who en-
joyed an income Of 10000 scudi or
dollars q wear from church henef1ces