The congregation of the “Index” had condemned several French works, some
absolutely, and others only until they should be corrected. Among these
last were books generally used, notwithstanding their faults, in the
public schools, such as the _Manual of Canon Law_, by M. Lequeux,
vicar-general of the Archbishop of Paris, and the theology, so long in
use, of Bailly. The authors of these works at once submitted. One of the
sentences, however, that which affected the Dictionary of M. Bouillet,
greatly offended the Archbishop of Paris—Mgr. Sibour, who had signified
his approval of this publication. He blamed the _Univers_ and the lay
religious press in general. He formulated his complaints in a charge of
15th January, 1851, and by a still more vigorous one in 1853, which was
written at the instigation of a Canon of Orleans, M. L’Abbe Gaduel, who
had accused Donoso Cortes, in the _Ami de la Religion_, of several
heresies, and who complained of having been refuted in the _Univers_ with
a warmth that was far from respectful. Mgr. Sibour forbade the priests of
his diocese to read the _Univers_, and threatened with excommunication the
editors of this journal, if they presumed to discuss the sentence which he
had pronounced against them. A similar sentence came to be uttered by Mgr.
Dupanloup, Bishop of Orleans, against the same writers, condemning the
opinions which they held concerning the study of the classics. M.
Veuillot, following in the wake of M. L’Abbe Gaume, maintained that one of
the principal causes of the weakening of faith since the time of the
_renaissance_, was the obligation imposed on youth of studying, almost
exclusively, Pagan authors. Mgr. Dupanloup contended rather against
exaggerations of this opinion than against the idea itself. But having
developed his views in an episcopal letter to the professors of his lesser
seminaries, he would not allow them to be opposed; and so, like Mgr.
Sibour, interdicted the _Univers_ to his clergy. M. Louis Veuillot
appealed to the supreme bishop.
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