LIBRARIES. 1 —III.
mediaeval and modern times.— (Continued.)
THE most remarkable of all the public libraries of to-day is the National Library at Paris; it dates in reality from Charles Y,
who, in 1367, ordered the deposit of a considerable number of books in one of the towers of the Louvre. The use of these
first story was occupied by a collection of paintings, a chapel, a library, etc. Another building parallel to the Rue Vivienne was especially arranged for princely fetes and receptions. The whole was soon adorned with masterpieces of art from all parts of the world.
In 1647, the Mazarin library already admitted all students
who desired to avail themselves of its treasures. On the death
Fig. 11. Plan of the National Library at Paris.
works was not reserved exclusively to the king; men of letters were allowed to consult them. On the death of Charles V, a portion of the books were stolen by the great lords and the rest were sold to the duke of Bedford for the sum of 3,323 livres, 4 sous. Charles VII and Louis XI did but little to repair the loss of the Louvre library, but a new collection was begun, which Charles VIII enlarged materially, thanks to the advance made in printing during his reign. Louis XII incorporated this Library of the King with the Orleans library at Blois, which he had inherited. Francis I added the library of the counts of Angouleme and in 1427 removed all the works of his private collection and all that had been gathered at Blois to Fontainebleau.
Charles IX transferred the royal library to Paris. Henry IV removed it to the College de Clermont (Lycee Louis-le- Grand) ; in 1604 another change was made, and in 1622 Louis XIII had it installed in a house in the Rue de la Harpe belonging to the Cordeliers. When Colbert had so enriched the collection that these quarters proved too cramped for its accommodation, another removal was found necessary ; it was therefore installed in the Rue Vivien (now Vivienne).
Louvois conceived the idea of settling the collection permanently in a building specially designed for its reception. For this purpose he selected the Ilbtel Vendome, and entrusted Mansart with the task of making plans for its installation there, but these were abandoned at the death of the minister. The library was soon afterward removed to the Mazarin palace, its present habitat. This palace comprised, originally, the Hotel of President Charles Duret de Chivry at the corner of the Rue des Petits-Champs and the Rue de Richelieu, and that erected for President de Tubeuf by Lemuet, at the corner of the Rue des Petits-Champs and the Rue Vivien, as well as a detached structure of less importance standing between the two. Francois Mansart completed these residences and converted them into a palace worthy of the all-powerful cardinal. A large building was constructed on the Rue de Richelieu, on the ground floor of which were the cardinal’s stables, while the
1 From the French of Emile Camut, in Planat’s Encycloptdie de l Architecture et de la Constmction. Continued from No. 825, page 37.
of Mazarin, the duke de Meilleraye became proprietor of a portion of the palace, while Philip Mancini, the minister’s
nephew, inherited the rest. The library fell to the College des Quatre-Nations.
1. Main Entrance. 2. Concierge.
3. Entry Office. 4. Periodicals.
5. W. C.
6. Court of Honor. 7. Periodicals.
8-12. Administration, Vestibule, Offices.
13. Stairway. 14. W. C.
15. Vestibule.
16. Cloak-room,
18. Salle de travail of tlie Departement des Imprimis. 19. Magasin.
20. Central Magasin of the Departement des Imprimis.
21. Departement des
Estampes.
Fig. 13. National Library; Book-shelves of the Beading-room.
mediaeval and modern times.— (Continued.)
THE most remarkable of all the public libraries of to-day is the National Library at Paris; it dates in reality from Charles Y,
who, in 1367, ordered the deposit of a considerable number of books in one of the towers of the Louvre. The use of these
first story was occupied by a collection of paintings, a chapel, a library, etc. Another building parallel to the Rue Vivienne was especially arranged for princely fetes and receptions. The whole was soon adorned with masterpieces of art from all parts of the world.
In 1647, the Mazarin library already admitted all students
who desired to avail themselves of its treasures. On the death
Fig. 11. Plan of the National Library at Paris.
works was not reserved exclusively to the king; men of letters were allowed to consult them. On the death of Charles V, a portion of the books were stolen by the great lords and the rest were sold to the duke of Bedford for the sum of 3,323 livres, 4 sous. Charles VII and Louis XI did but little to repair the loss of the Louvre library, but a new collection was begun, which Charles VIII enlarged materially, thanks to the advance made in printing during his reign. Louis XII incorporated this Library of the King with the Orleans library at Blois, which he had inherited. Francis I added the library of the counts of Angouleme and in 1427 removed all the works of his private collection and all that had been gathered at Blois to Fontainebleau.
Charles IX transferred the royal library to Paris. Henry IV removed it to the College de Clermont (Lycee Louis-le- Grand) ; in 1604 another change was made, and in 1622 Louis XIII had it installed in a house in the Rue de la Harpe belonging to the Cordeliers. When Colbert had so enriched the collection that these quarters proved too cramped for its accommodation, another removal was found necessary ; it was therefore installed in the Rue Vivien (now Vivienne).
Louvois conceived the idea of settling the collection permanently in a building specially designed for its reception. For this purpose he selected the Ilbtel Vendome, and entrusted Mansart with the task of making plans for its installation there, but these were abandoned at the death of the minister. The library was soon afterward removed to the Mazarin palace, its present habitat. This palace comprised, originally, the Hotel of President Charles Duret de Chivry at the corner of the Rue des Petits-Champs and the Rue de Richelieu, and that erected for President de Tubeuf by Lemuet, at the corner of the Rue des Petits-Champs and the Rue Vivien, as well as a detached structure of less importance standing between the two. Francois Mansart completed these residences and converted them into a palace worthy of the all-powerful cardinal. A large building was constructed on the Rue de Richelieu, on the ground floor of which were the cardinal’s stables, while the
1 From the French of Emile Camut, in Planat’s Encycloptdie de l Architecture et de la Constmction. Continued from No. 825, page 37.
of Mazarin, the duke de Meilleraye became proprietor of a portion of the palace, while Philip Mancini, the minister’s
nephew, inherited the rest. The library fell to the College des Quatre-Nations.
1. Main Entrance. 2. Concierge.
3. Entry Office. 4. Periodicals.
5. W. C.
6. Court of Honor. 7. Periodicals.
8-12. Administration, Vestibule, Offices.
13. Stairway. 14. W. C.
15. Vestibule.
16. Cloak-room,
18. Salle de travail of tlie Departement des Imprimis. 19. Magasin.
20. Central Magasin of the Departement des Imprimis.
21. Departement des
Estampes.
Fig. 13. National Library; Book-shelves of the Beading-room.