tibus, quam
aspectibus, pretiosi. Tunc nobilissimorum monasteriorum
aperiebantur armaria, referebantur scrinia, et cistulae
solvebantur, et per longa secula in sepulchris soporata
volumina, expergiscunt attonita, quaeque in locis tenebrosis
latuerant, novae lucis radiis perfunduntur." "Delicatissimi
quondam libri, corrupti et abhominabiles iam effecti, murium
faetibus cooperti, et vermium morsibus terebrati, iacebant
exanimes--et qui olim purpura vestiebantur et bysso, nunc in
cinere et cilicio recubantes, oblivioni traditi videbantur,
domicilia tinearum. Inter haec nihilominus, captatis
temporibus, magis voluptuose consedimus, quam fecisset
Medicus delicatus inter aromatum apothecas, ubi amoris
nostri objectum reperimus et fomentum; sic sacra vasa
scientiae, ad nostrae dispensationis provenerunt arbitrium:
quaedam data, quaedam vendita, ac nonnulla protempore
commodata. Nimirum cum nos plerique de hujusmodi donariis
cernerent contentatos, ea sponte nostris usibus studuerent
tribuere, quibus ipsi libentius caruerunt: quorum tamen
negotia sic expedire curavimus gratiosi, ut et eisdem
emolumentum accresceret, nullum tamen iustitia detrimentum
sentiret." "Porro si scyphos aureos et argenteos, si equos
egregios, si nummorum summas non modicas amassemus tunc
temporis, dives nobis aerarium instaurasse possemus: sed
revera LIBROS NON LIBRAS maluimus, codicesque plusquam
florenos, ac panfletos exiguos incrassatis praetulimus
palfridis," _Philobiblion_; p. 29, 30, &c. Dr. James's
preface to this book, which will be noticed in its proper
place, in another work, is the veriest piece of old
maidenish particularity that ever was exhibited! However,
the editor's enthusiastic admiration of De Bury obtains his
forgiveness in the bosom of every honest bibliomaniac!]

[Footnote 265: CHARLES THE FIFTH, of France, may be called
the founder of the Royal Library there. The history of his
first efforts to erect a national library is thus, in part,
related by the compilers of _Cat. de la Bibliotheque
Royale_, pt. i., p. ij.-iij.: "This wise king took advantage
of the peace which then obtained, in order to cultivate
letters more successfully than had hitherto been done. He
was learned for his age; and never did a prince love reading
and book-co