The Bienville Democrat., 1922-05-11
tust across the park from the Cap1to'
of the United States. Men say tha1
it is the most beautiful building IN the

naiSSance. 1t has two stories WIN
dome and it covers about three ano
half acres of ground with four large
inner courts. Windows to the nulnhe
of 1900 make It the best Lighted
library in the world,
When one enters the library OF con
gress from the main door if he Is sen
sitiyely inclined he feels at first
sort of a pin prick sensation, because
the effect of the decorations ana tne
general color scheme Is rather start
ling. 1t seems too brilliant, but soor
the whole thing softens and the rare
beauty of the place, really genut
beauty, impresses itself upon one ant
he knows that he is standing in rest
full and entrancingly beautiful sur
roundings.
Quotations From the Walls.
The other day the writer visited the
library for the purpose of reading
some of the printed inscriptions which
fit into the details of the various de-
partments of the building and which
impress upon one the glories of learn
ing. On looking at the library, at Its
vast shelves and books, at its pictor'
ial representations Of the happenings
in the progress Of the world, he can
not fail to remember the words of the
epitdph of Greene, the historian of
the English people, who lies buried In
the south Of France.
On Greene's monument are these
words: He died learning" When one
surveys the wonderous array of art
and literary treasures in the library
of congress he becomes almost ap-
palled at the thought of how much
there Is to learn and he knows that
man can 60 through a long life from
the day when he first learns to read
till the day Of his death and through
It all be in continual state Of &C.
Quirement of knowledge. He dies
learning.
Here are some of the quotations in
the library, inscribed in places where
there are either books or paintings
which make the quotations pertinent:
The poets, who on earth have made
US heirs
Of truth and pure delight by heaven
ly lays.-Wordsworth.
Memory is the treasurer and guar.
dian Of all things.-Cicero.
The true university of these days Is
a collection Of books.-Carlyle.
Nature is the art Of G0d.-Sir
Thomas Browne.
Tongues in trees, book in the run.
ming brooks;
Sermons in stone, and good In
everything.-As You Like 1t.
Glory is acquired by virtue, but pre-
served by letters.-Petrarch.
Books will speak plain, when coun.
selors blanch.-Bacon.
Ignorance is the curse of God,
knowledge the wing wherewith we
fly to Heaven.-Henry VI.
In books lies the soul Of the whole
past time.-Carlyle.
These are only a few quotations
which are found in the library. The
walls are divided between wonderful
paintings and finely apt quotations.
Fine Saying Of Dionysius.
1t seemed to me that the finest QUO.
tation of all, so far as its application
to the present day is concerned, is one
from Dionysius who, although not by
any means altogether a fine character,
was a patron Of literary men and ar
lists, and aspired to literary fame. The
quotation is this:
1.-THE foundation Of every state is
the education of its youth"
In the library civilizations progress
is shown In a section of the dome in
which are represented symbolically
the efforts Of twelve nations to con.
tribute to educational progress, and
with this symbolic representation is
another showing the epochs in which
knowledge made rapid strides through
the endeavors of the people.
The representations are those Of
Egypt, Judea, Greece, Rome, Islam,
The Middle Ages, Italy, Germany,
Spain, England, France and America.
Egypt represents written records; Ju.
dea, religion; Greece, philosophy ;
Rome, administration; Islam, physics ;
The Middle Ages, modern languages ;
Italy, fine arts; Germany, the art of
printing; Spain, discovery; England,
literature; France, emancipation, and
America, science.