bound, a prey to dust
and the worm, and cannot be touched without dismemberment."

"All history shows that this neglect belongs not to any particular age or
nation. I extract the following story from Edmond Werdet's Histoire du
Livre."[1]

[1] "Histoire du Livre en France," par E. Werdet. 8vo, Paris, 1851.

"The Poet Boccaccio, when travelling in Apulia, was anxious to visit the
celebrated Convent of Mount Cassin, especially to see its library, of
which he had heard much. He accosted, with great courtesy, one of
the monks whose countenance attracted him, and begged him to have the
kindness to show him the library. 'See for yourself,' said the monk,
brusquely, pointing at the same time to an old stone staircase, broken
with age. Boccaccio hastily mounted in great joy at the prospect of a
grand bibliographical treat. Soon he reached the room, which was
without key or even door as protection to its treasures. What was his
astonishment to see that the grass growing in the window-sills actually
darkened the room, and that all the books and seats were an inch thick
in dust. In utter astonishment he lifted one book after another.
All were manuscripts of extreme antiquity, but all were dreadfully
dilapidated. Many had lost whole sections which had been violently
extracted, and in many all the blank margins of the vellum had been cut
away. In fact, the mutilation was thorough.

"Grieved at seeing the work and the wisdom of so many illustrious men
fallen into the hands of custodians so unworthy, Boccaccio descended
with tears in his eyes. In the cloisters he met another monk, and
enquired of him how the MSS. had become so mutilated. 'Oh!' he replied,
'we are obliged, you know, to earn a few sous for our needs, so we cut
away the blank margins of the manuscripts for writing upon, and make of
them small books of devotion, which we sell to women and children."

As a postscript to this story, Mr. Timmins, of Birmingham, informs me
that the treasures of the Monte Cassino Library are better cared for now
than in Boccaccio's days, the worthy prior being proud of his valuable
MSS. and very willing to show them. It will interest many readers to
know that there is now a complete printing office, lithographic as well
as typographic, at full work in one large room of the Monastery, where
their wonderful MS. of Dante has been already reprinted, and where other
fac-simile works are now in progress.

CHAPTER V. IGNORANCE AND BIGOT