earning, and Niccolo, the man of scholarship and refinement of
life.

_PASSAGES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE FOREGOING._

_The Medici and their Friends._

'The chief benefit conferred by Cosimo de' Medici on learning was the
accumulation and the housing of large libraries. During his exile he
built the library of S. Giorgio Maggiore at Venice, and after his return
to Florence he formed three separate collections of MSS. While the hall
of the Library of S. Marco was in process of construction, Niccolo de'
Niccoli died, in 1437, bequeathing his 800 MSS., valued at 6000 golden
florins, to sixteen trustees. Among these were Cosimo and Lorenzo de'
Medici, Ambrogio Traversari, Lionardo Bruni, Carlo Marsuppini, Poggio
Bracciolini, Giannozzo Manetti, and Franco Sachetti. At the same time
the estate of Niccolo was compromised by heavy debts. These debts Cosimo
cancelled, obtaining in exchange the right to dispose of the library. In
1441 the hall of the convent was finished. Four hundred of Niccolo's
MSS. were placed there, with this inscription upon each: _Ex hereditate
doctissimi viri Nicola de Nicolis de Florentia_. Tommasso Parentucelli
made a catalogue at Cosimo's request, in which he not only noted the
titles of Niccoli's books, but also marked the names of others wanting
to complete the collection. This catalogue afterwards served as a guide
to the founders of the libraries of Fiesole, Urbino, and Pesaro, and
was, says Vespasiano, indispensable to book-collectors. Of the remaining
400 volumes Cosimo kept some for his own (the Medicean) library, and
some he gave to his friends. At the same time he spared no pains to buy
codices, while Vespasiano and Fra Giuliano Lapaccini were employed in
copying rare MSS. As soon as Cosimo had finished building the Abbey of
Fiesole, he set about providing this also with a library suited to the
wants of learned ecclesiastics. Of the method he pursued, Vespasiano,
who acted as his agent, has transmitted the following account:--"One day
when I was in his room, he said to me, 'What plan can you recommend for
the formation of this library?' I answered that to buy the books would
be impossible, since they could not be purchased. 'What, then, do you
propose?' he added. I told him that they must be copied. He then asked
if I would undertake the business. I replied that I was willing. He bade
me begin at my leisure, saying that he left all to me; and for the
monies wanted day by day, he orde