Pierre Seguier founded a library which became one of the sights of Paris.
His grandson, Charles Seguier, the faithful follower of Richelieu, was
celebrated for his devotion to books. He used to laugh at his own
bibliomania. 'If you want to corrupt me' he would say, 'you can always do
it by giving me a book.' His house in the Rue Bouloi served as
headquarters for the French Academy before it gained a footing in the
Louvre; and on Queen Christina's visit in 1646 one of her first literary
excitements was to visit Chancellor Seguier's _salon_. The decorations
were considered worthy of being engraved and published by Dorigny. The
gallery stood between two large gardens. The ceilings were encrusted with
mosaics on a gold ground with allegorical designs by Vouet. The upper
story contained about 12,000 books, and as many more were ranged in the
adjoining rooms, one large hall being devoted to diplomatic papers, Greek
books from Mount Athos, and Oriental MSS. According to a description
published in 1684 a large collection of porcelain was arranged on the
walls above the book-cases and in cases set cross-wise on the floor: 'the
china covered the whole cornice, with the prettiest effect in the world.'
We are reminded of the lady's book-room which Addison described as
something between a grotto and a library. Her books were arranged in a
beautiful order; the quartos were fenced off by a pile of bottles that
rose in a delightful pyramid; the octavos were bounded by tea-dishes of
all shapes and sizes; 'and at the end of the folios were great jars of
china placed one above the other in a very noble piece of architecture.
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