The sun., 1919-11-02

| stuulum generate at LOuValn. In
1882 the city authorities placed at the
disposal of the university the Halle
aux draps," dating from 1917, to pro-
vide them with the necessary accom-
modations for the teaching of the
ology, an addition to the "studium"
sanctioned by Pope Eugenius w.,
which raised the number of faculties
to five, namely: Arts, medicine, canon
law, civil law and theology. Thence
forward the Halle aux draps" became
the seat of academic authority In the
| Low Countries, and an international
centre OF science and learning at
tended by students of all nations.
Took Leading Part.
| In the humanistic movement Of the
sixteenth century the University of
Louvain took leading part The ideas
OF the Renaissance spread through
out the Low Countries, which at that
time were among the richest and most
advanced in Europe. The humanistIo
movement flourished especially until
1875 and Louvain had great interna-
tional influence, for the university had
not only Erasmus. Wives, Clenard,
Rescius, Justus Lipsius, but among
the men of science she numbered
Vesalius, the founder of modern
anatomy; Doddonee. the physician
botanist, and Mercator, the geographer.
Surely these names would add lustre
to any institution.
| The university was for more than
two centuries after it's foundation
without a general library. The hu-
| f1ao LETT
fessors were themselves living libra
ries. Both faculty and students fire.
quented the book shops, which were
popular resorts for those attached to
the university. Jaspers book shop
was the one most favored by students,
while professors hocked to the pub
fishing house OF Thierry Martens.
| The demand for large central
library was hardly prevalent at Lou
vain before the beginning of the seven
teenth century. though the prime
necessity for such an adjunct to re-
search was fully appreciated. As far
back as the Middle Ages there wa.
current saying that a monastery
without a library was like a castle
without an armory. Thomas a
kempis added that 1t was like a table
without dishes, garden without fiow-
ers, a purse without money.
| Originated by Student.
| The university library owes its ori-
gin to aNformer Louvain student, Lau-
rent Beyerlinck. canon of the Cathe-
dral of Antwerp. In 1927 he be-
queathed to the university his own
library of S52 volumes. rich in history
and theology. This bequest consti-
tuted the first foundation. 1t was fol-
lowed by a legacy of 906 volumes from
the professor of medicine, jacques
Romanus, in 1885.
At that time the rector of the uni
versity was the famous Cornelius Jan
senius, to whom belongs the honor OF
having organized this first nucleus of
| the library, which was duly installed
in the university halls. Jacques
| Boonen, Archbishop of Malines, as
signed to it an annual sum for its
| upkeep and development. The Gus
= tody of the books was entrusted to
Prof. VALERIE Ancre, the eminent his
! torian' and photographer, who presided
at the public opening OF the library
on August %, 1886. and who, on the
occasion of his nomination.. delivered
an Grafton extolling the priceless ad-
vantages OF a library, which he de-
scribed as Temple of Minerva and of
\ the MUSES., the Arsenal of all the Sci
! ences."
After the death of Andreas the Ii
brary was neglected until the begin
ming of the eighteenth century. a
former Louvain professor, Dominique
| nf ptu ha6
a fine collection of $500 volumes. COM
posed almost entirely of Jansenist
works. In response to the pressing
requests of the libraries of the uni
versity that Snellaerts should give
them to the university, the owner re-
piled that he did not like to meet
books with his name at the door or in
she window of dealers. He said he
had often seen in the bookshops of
Louvain and elsewhere a line of
books bearing the names of celebrated
men and left by them to the uni
versity. Despite this statement
Snellaerts bequeathed his library to
I the university.
New Depository.
This generous gift necessitated the
cOISli uCllOH VI Il he" uepOSllOTy, d
task undertaken by the Rector Rega,
a man Of great initiative, the founder
Of the anatomical museum. Rega also
succeeded in securing a fixed income
for the library.
| A new and progressive element was
brought in by the administration of
c. r. de Nelis who became librarian
in 1852 and who asked the Govern
ment to require Belgian printers 10
send to the University Library one
copy of every book printed by them.
Jean Francois van de Velde. who next
became librarian. acquired 1900 vol
umes. Most OF these books were
bought at sales of the libraries of the
Jesuits after the suppression of the
society. They included a special COL
lection Of theses of great value for
the history of theological doctrine. Be
sides these Van de ',elde added 4,573
new books.
It Is computed that at the time of
the disaster the library contained be-
tween 100000 and 100000 books and
about 1000 volumes of manuscripts.
Professor Delannoy, the librarian. was
engaged in a revision of the catalogue
at the outbreak OF the war, but the
result of his labors perlshed in the
confiagration. In the course of the
rearrangement of the books which this
| work involved, scarcely day passed
without there being brought to light
from the obscurity of some corner, I'M
| Nnx. i \