sweeping severity of the provisions of the Index of Paul, while Valdes, Inquisitor-General of Spain, refused to permit these provisions to be put into force within that kingdom. It is evident that the officials who had, under the instructions of Paul, compiled this first Roman Index were considered by many of their contemporaries, as well as by their successors, to have done their work in too sweeping a fashion, and with an ignorance, or a disregard of, the legitimate requirements of scholars in good standing within the Church, who had a just claim to consideration. A repeated complaint on the part of the critics of the censorship operations under Paul IV was the ignorance and the heedlessness of the examiners who had in their hands the responsibility for passing upon the works of scholars. The books of the great leaders of thought were, it was charged, placed under the control of ignorance and mediocrity. The work of a learned commentator of St. Chrysostom or of the Psalmist was to be condemned by examiners who had no knowledge either of Greek or of Hebrew. Under such a system, it might still be possible for scholars to carry on their researches with a patience adequate for the production of compilations, but it was not possible to preserve for original thinkers the serenity of soul and the independence of spirit required for the production of really great works. CHAPTER VIII THE COUNCIL OF TRENT AND THE INDEX OF PIUS IV, 1564. _Rome, 1564._ _Pius IV, Council of Trent._--_Index librorum prohibitorum cum regulis confectis per Patres a Tridentinae Synodo delectos, auctoritate Sanctis D. N. Pii IV Pont. Max., comprobatus. Romae, apud Paulum Manutium, Aldi F. 1564._ This is the first Index which has behind it the authority of a general council.