But though permission is freely granted to duly accredited visitors who may be desirous of consulting manuscripts, the labour of searching among the huge bewildering piles would be overwhelming, and the thought of it would at once paralyse effort.  There is no proper catalogue of the printed books; and the list of manuscripts is so deficient as to be altogether worthless.  During six months, from November till June, the library is open for study every day, except Thursday and the numerous saints’ days, whose recurrence can be easily ascertained beforehand so as to prevent disappointment.  I cannot imagine a greater privilege to a student.  It is the highest luxury of learning to explore the literary wealth of these princely apartments, that seem to have a climate of their own, like the great Basilica close at hand—­the climate of eternal spring—­and whose atmosphere breathes the associations of much that is grandest and most memorable in human history.  To the charms of some of the noblest productions of human genius working by pen, or pencil, or chisel—­adorning roof, and wall, and floor—­and vanishing down the long vista in a bright perspective of beauty—­Nature adds her crown of perfection.  For nothing can exceed the loveliness of the views from the windows of the Papal gardens outside, with their gay flowery parterres, sparkling fountains, depths of shadowy glades and half-hidden sculptured forms of rarest beauty; and, beyond, a purple mountain range, summits old in story, closing up the enchanted vista through the ruddy stems and deep green foliage of tall stone-pines; the whole glowing in the brilliant sunshine and the exquisite violet transparency of the Roman sky.  How delightful to spend whole days there and forget the commonplace present in converse with the master minds of the ages, and in dreams of the heroic past; the half-closed shutters and drawn curtains producing a cool and drowsy atmosphere, in delicious contrast with the broiling sun without!  Learning, however, would be too apt to fall asleep, and be shorn of its strength on the Delilah lap of such splendid luxury.

A few of the most interesting books and manuscripts are now contained in two handsome cabinets placed in the centre of the Great Hall of the library.  These cabinets have two cases, an outer and an inner one, and are carefully double-locked.  The librarian opened them for me, and displayed their contents, which are usually seen only through a thick plate of protecting glass.  In the one cabinet were a manuscript of the Latin poet Terence, of the fourth and fifth century; the celebrated palimpsest of Cicero de Republica, concealed under a version of St. Augustine’s Commentary on the Psalms, the oldest Latin manuscript in existence; the famous Virgil of the fifth century, with the well-known portrait of Virgil; the Homilies of St. Gregory of Nazianzum; the folio Hebrew Bible, which was the only thing that Duke Frederico of Urbino reserved for himself of the spoil at the capture of