A Proposed Interlibrary Loan System in the Seventeenth Century

Abstract

world of scholarship owes many debts to the great French huI manist Nicolas Claude Fabri de Peiresc (I580-i637).' Not the least of his claims to our recognition is his effort to establish a kind of interlibrary loan system between the Royal Library in Paris and the Vatican and Barberini libraries in Rome. In a period when interchanges of this sort were extremely difficult and entirely unorganized, he frequently acted as an intermediary in such activities. He maintained a vast correspondence throughout Europe and through his many contacts successfully acquired manuscript materials for many of the enterprises undertaken during his lifetime-such as the great compilations of French historical sources published by Andre Duchesne,2 the earliest Coptic studies undertaken in Europe,3 the important Excerpta de virtutibus et vitiis of Constantine Porphyrogenitus,4 and many others. His aid was frequently asked in obtaining materials, and his introductions abroad were often sought. Because of this position in the learned world, a unique opportunity was presented to him to arrange for an exchange of original materials instead of the copies with which his friends so often had to content themselves. In i630 Jean-Jacques Bouchard (i6o64I) had arrived at Aix-en-Provence on his way to Rome, whither he had considered it prudent to go after a scandalous affair with a chambermaid.5 He was highly recommended by Nicolas Rigault, at that time garde, or active librarian, of the Royal Library in Paris, as tres bien verse en la bonne litterature, ssait les langues Grecque, Latine, Italienne, et que j'estime encore plus, il est de tres bonnes mceurs et de conversation trds agreable pour sa grande ingenuite et candeur.6 He departed, consequently, with many recommendations to Cardinals Barberini and Bentivoglio, Lucas Holstenius, one day destined to be Vatican librarian, and others whom Peiresc knew,7 and was eventually taken into Barberini's employ and became a new I Peiresc, one of the most scholarly amateurs of his time, was not only an astronomer of some accomplishments but the promoter of research in nearly all the disciplines of the day. He has left an immense amount of correspondence as well as a large and important collection of notes, mostly preserved in the BibliothMque Inguimbertine of Carpentras and the Bibliothbque Nationale. A conseiller au Parlement at Aix-en-Provence, he was the friend and patron of the scholars of the seventeenth century. Among his friends were Guillaume du Vair, Malherbe, Pierre and Jacques Dupuy, Nicolas Rigault, Grotius, Andr6 Duchesne, and a host of others. See Pierre Gassendi, Viri illustris Nicolai Claudij Fabrkcij de Peiresc .... vita (The Hague, i655), and Pierre Humbert, Un Amateur: Peiresc (Paris, [I9331). 2 Historiae Normannorum scriptores antiqui (Paris, I6I9), and Historiae Francorum scriptores coetanci (Paris, I636-4a). See Gassendi, op. cit.,