Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/391

The Vatican Library. 379 Inghirami's appointment as librarian in 1510, however, shows better discernment. 1 We find that by this time a bond was required as surety for the loan of a MS. 2 But the real importance of the reign of Julius II., as far as the library is concerned, lies in the fact that he it was who joined the Belvidere, built by Innocent VIII. as we have seen, in 1490, to the Vatican buildings by the long galleries of Bramante ; and thus unconsciously constructed the present resting-place of the books of the Vatican. These galleries are about 1,000 feet long. Under Leo X. (1513-1521), the cause of the library pros- pered. Roscoe tells us that in 1517 he spared no pains, and sent his envoy, John Heytmers de Zonvelben, on a mission to Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Gothland, for the sole purpose of inquiring after literary works, and particularly historical compositions. He sent a representative at the same time to Venice. 3 The inventory of the library (1518) shows 4,070 volumes. 4 During this reign several further archives were transferred to the Castle of San Angelo. 5 It was high time, in view of the approaching storm. Adrian VI. 's (1522-3) short reign is epitomised by one anecdote, the walling-up of the Laocoon group. 6 Clement VII. (1523) could but find the same retreat San Angelo. At the sack of the city by the Duke de Bourbon in 1527, the library suffered considerably. 7 Sabeo, the sub-librarian, whose talent for invective against his patrons is well known, formally accused Clement VII., in some verses printed some years after, of not having given one thought to the Vatican Library after the disaster : "Dicere non possum, quod sim tua, visere quam non Hactenus ipse velis. , ," 8 1 Again I mrst be allowed to draw attention to the character of one of the most interesting personalities ever connected with the Vatican collection. A short character of him will be found in W. Roscoe's Life of Leo X., ed. 1883, vol. ii. , pp. 281-2. -Ibid,, p. 14. 3 Op. tit., ii., 279. For the appointment of Beroaldo in 1516 and his successor, and an account of them, see ibid., pp, 282-5, 4 Miintz, op. cit., p, 43. 5 //W,, p. 52. 6 Symonds, Renaissance, L, 43'5- 7 A large portion of the music of the Sistine Chapel perished by fire then { Grove, Diet, of Music and Musicians, s. v.). 8 Miintz, op. cit., pp. 77-8.