The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-11
W774W ZI6RARY

The Libraries of the A~cquaviva. Albizzi,
Bichi. Bona, Celsi. Cesi.s Fontanini. I'm
periali, Massimi. Spada, &c.. AVE all dis
appeared. b famous Altieri library,
which contained important documents
about the pontificate Of Sixtus V. and all
the manuscripts belonging to Pope Clement
y. collected by his nephew, Cardinal Pao-
luzzo Altieri, has been reduced to only
about six or seven Goddess.
h no less famous Albani library was
sold in 1857. Some manuscripts we're
bought by Prince Boncompagni, others
by the Vatican library. but the greater
part were lost. as they were purchased by
the Prussian Government and the vessel
that was carrying them TO Germany was
wrecked.
Both the Boncompagni and the Borghese
Libraries have been broken up. The former
was sold mostly abroad, while the manu-
scripts OF the latter we're bought by the
Vatican. The collection belonging to Car
dinal Baldasarre Boncompagni is COM
pletely lost and no trace of il exists; only
a complete catalogue compiled by Narducci
remains to show how great the loss was.
A considerable collection Of unsorted
manuscripts. among which were the docu-
ments of Cardinal Marescotti and many
codes OF great value. was sold by public
auction in Rome a couple OF years ago,
and hardly a single page was left in Italy,
almost everything being purchased by
foreigners.
Several private libraries were fortunately
Incorporated in public libraries and thus
saved from dispersal. Thus all the manu-.
scripts of Cardinal Baronius. the disciple
Of st. Philip Neri, who was made Cardinal
in 1896. now form part OF the Bibliotheca
Veroelliana. n Of the most magnificent
Libraries Of Rome in the Monastery OF the
Orato-isns, now used as a Court Of Assize.
The manuscripts of Cardinals Bona,
Norris and Passionei are in the Bibliotheoa
Angelica founded in 1904 by Angelo~Rocca
and containing over $50. 900 volumes and
2.e45 manuscripts. This library was once
owned by the Austin Friars. but il was
declared State property in 1870.
The manuscripts Of Cardinal Casanata
are still in the library which bears his
name, the Bibliotheca Ca~sanatensis, once
owned by the Dominioans and considered
as the largest religious library In Rome
after that Of the Vatican. II consists Of
40, Ooo printed volumes and $500 manu-
scripts.
Many collections of manuscripts and
books belonging TO Cardinals and noble
Roman families are now TO be found out
side Rome. Thus for instance. the oeie-
brated Manoscritti Farnesiani belonging
70 Paul III. and MS nephew, Cardinal Ales-
sandro are in Naples and Parma. the docu-
ments Of Cardinal Cerviniani are.in Florence
and those of Cardinal Garampi are at Rimini.
The Vatican Library generally secures
part Of the manuscripts belonging to Car
dinals, and very often the heirs OF a
Cardinals estate spontaneously offer such
documents as relate 60 State affairs to the
Vatican, as was done In the cases of the
libraries OF Cardinals Albani, Garampi and
Borghese, as we'll 70 the private library OF
Giovanni Battista Copfalonieri and those
OF the noble families Bolognetti-C enci, Pho
and Carpegna. During the seventeenth
century the Vatican Library was increased
by the manuscripts belonging to Cardinals
Sirleti. Baronius and Caraffa and also those
Of Fulvio 0rsini.
Pope Leo XIII. besides opening the score.
archives Of the Vatican TO the public, spent
a considerable sum OF money in purchasing
private collections Of manuscripts and
books which were addad to the Vatican
Library. He bought for instance. the cele-
brated Borghese Library. founded by Car
dinal Scipione Borghese. the wealthiest
man in the seventeenth century, who en-
joyed an income Of 100, 900 scudi or dollars
a year from Church beneAces alone.
This library was 30 large that 1t had TO
be split up and the manuscripts and doou-
ments separated from the books. The
former are now in the Vatican archives.
while the latter. carefully catalosued by
the present Vatican ibranian. Father
Earle, are in tho library. Leo XIII. also
bought the BorgiA Library. famous for ito