Note 84 — Chapter XIII

The Index is a list of books, the reading of which is prohibited to Roman Catholics. This list, in the early periods of the Reformation, was often consulted by the curious, who were enlarging their libraries; and a story is current in England, that, to prevent this mischief, the Index itself was inserted in its own forbidden catalogue. The origin of this story is, that an Index was published in Spain, particularizing the objectionable passages in such books as were only partially condemned; and although compiled with the best intentions, this was found to be so racy, that it became necessary to forbid the circulation of this edition in subsequent lists.