South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-20
OLD LIBRARIES
NOW OPENED To
VESTS SAVANTS
AntiquarianS and Historians
to Explore BoOkSheIveS
at st. Sophia.

LONDON. March II. - GORE
spOndence Of the Associated Press)
Antiquarians and historians are
now TO have for first time since the
Turks took possession Of CONSTANT
nople the opportunity for making "a
thorough investigation Of the literary
treasures stored way in the great IL
bararies there.
The contents Of the bOOkshelves
OF the St. Sophia and Palace librar-
les are known. but I'm the cellars un-
der the Palace library there are
many manuscripts I'm Arabic. Greek,
Latin. and eastern languages. These
manuscripts are in hopeless confu-
sion and no person with special ap-
titude for research work has been
permitted TO examine them in recent
years. About thirty years ago a
German dragoman obtained permits
sion from the sultan 10 spend a
week in those cellars. In that time
he was able 10 make only "A very
superficial examination of the manu-
scripts. but his search, short as it
was. revealed many books in Greek
and Arabic OF great value. Among
the discoveries he reported were the
lost books OF Livy-. the great Roman
historian.
Plans Investigation.
Among celebrated British scholars
who are planning 10 go 10 Constan-
tinOple 10 delve among the long
hidden manuscripts is Sir Edwin
Pears. the historian. who has spent
many years i'm COnstantinople Sir
Edwin told the Associated Press cor
respondent that at least six months
would be required for the investiga-
ton. He does not think the librar-
les have been damaged by the Turks.
who. he says. are utterly Indifferent
10 their value. His only fear is that
the manuscripts viii be found in a
sad state as "A result of neglect
The fine libraries Of the Byzan-
tine empire were taken by til Turks
in 1853. The greatest number Of
books are deposited. not i'm St So
phia's as popularity believed. but in
the imperial palace about quarter
Of a mile from the church. Under
Turkish rule these Libraries We're
most notable acquisition resulting
from the defeat by the Turks of the
king of Hungary. whose collection of
books was brought TO Constantine
pie and placed either in St. Sophia
or the Palace library.
Shelves Picked Over.
The shelves of the Palace Ii
irary.' said Sir Edwin, have been
constantly picked over and the most
important manuscripts probably
have been stolen or destroyed. At
present. what is shown - visitors is
% room about 90 feet long and Is
wide. nicely Gtted mp with glass
cases containing books with we'll
polished bindings. But there is not
book displayed which an archeoI-
Ogist would consider worth having.
The cellars. however. contain hun
Creds OF manuscripts which have
never yet been satisfactorily ex-
sluined.,
The library i'm st. SOphias also
contains uuclassineG works and i:
may be that they include manu-
S, ~ipts OF Importance"
made in the vicinity of CONSTANT
nople during the last half-century
We're not in the Palace or st. Sophia
libraries but in local Libraries be-
longing TO the Greek church. one
of these. which Sir Edwin terms the
most important theological find OF
the century, was a book containing
the teachings OF the Twelve Apostles
a document frequently quoted in tho
early centuries Of Christian litera-
ture. The last half OF the text had
been copied and preserved. but the
complete copy was lost until about
30 years ago.
Receivers Lost Volume.
At that time" Sir Edwin said
"the grand old scholar. Bishop
Briennius OF Nicomedia. the mod
ern Ismid, one of the few Greek
scholars who not only knows Greek