Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/342

 330 The Library. 5188 ALEXANDER C. CAE SARIS AVG GERMANICI SER PYLAEMENIANVS AB BYBLI OTHECE GRAECA TEMPLI APOLLI NIS VIX ANNIS XXX. ET IVLIA ACCA MATER CALLISTHNIS TI CAESAR AVG. A BYBLIOTHECE LATINA - APOLLINIS DIOPlTHIS F EIVS A BYBLIOT LATINA APOLLINIS VIX AN - XLVIII. Finally the emperor Gordian II. (A.D. 237) founded a new library in the Palace of Pompey, but I am uncertain as to the extent to which it was a public one. 1 Since doubt may exist in the minds of some as to the anti- quity of the free library movement I may perhaps be forgiven for recalling an incident, to which Dr. Lanciani calls atten- tion, who states that in his own mind there is no doubt that these libraries were certainly free. Aulus Gellius relates that one day he was the guest of a distinguished friend at Tivoli, and a discussion arose as to whether the use of iced water in warm weather was injurious to the health. Someone present quoted Aristotle's authority condemning it. As some doubt was ex- pressed in regard to Aristotle's real opinion, the speaker ran to the public library, fetched the volume and read it out. Gellius adds that the force of Aristotle's words was so great that they all decided at once to give up the use of so injurious a beverage for ever. Let us now turn to the history of the Vatican Library proper. 1 Gibbon states that this consisted of 62,000 volumes. 1854, vol. i., p. 312.) (Decline and Fall, ed.