Страница 642 из 1118

He prescribed to the librarian the cultivation of a regular

correspondence with the learned men of Europe, to keep himself

acquainted with the state of science, and to procure every new

and important work; he also charged him to point out to young

students the books necessary for them, and, whether natives or

foreigners, to afford them every possible facility in making use

of those of the library. There is a history of the Ambrosian

library by one Pierpaolo Bosca, who was librarian after the death

of Frederick, in which all the excellent regulations are minutely

detailed. Other libraries existed in Italy, but with little

benefit to the studious: the books were carefully concealed from

view in their cases, and inaccessible to all, except on rare

occasions, and with the utmost difficulty. A book might then be

seen, but not studied.