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The library is mixed, yet many of the books are new. “ Unlike the Trappists,” says Padre Varsi, smiling, “we arm ourselves with books instead of relics.
We believe in books.”
Twelve thousand volumes weight his shelves; a library which has only three superiors in California; the Odd Fellows library, the Mercantile library, and the State library.
Some of these books are rare old tomes, but many of them are lexicons, translations, and the customary cribs.
At Santa Clara the path of learning is not paved with spikes.
“Two countrymen of yours,” the Padre adds, “are on our staff; Professor Dance of Oxford, and Professor Leonard of Cork.”
Dance professes English literature.
Leonard, an Irish genius, professes mathematics, metallurgy, assaying, and other physical sciences.
“ How many Fathers have you in the college?”
“Forty Jesuits, and nineteen lay brothers; fiftynine in all. But we have branches of the company in other towns; one branch at San Jose, with five Jesuits, and a second branch at San Francisco, where Father Massenata superintends a school.”
The Fathers keep their college gay and winsome,
1875.
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