“If one considers the character of the times, and the condition of civil institutions and of popular morals, we must admit that these demands are just and reasonable, and are not out of accord with the purposes or the material affection of the Holy Church. In the rapid development of intellectual activity, there is no field of knowledge in which literature is not produced too freely, with the result of a daily accumulation of foul and of dangerous books. What is still more serious is that this great evil is not only connived at by the civil laws, but even secures under these a great freedom. As a result, therefore, unrestricted license is assured for reading anything whatever, and the minds of many are filled with religious doubts. “Concluding, therefore, that we must now take measures to remedy these evils, we have decided that there are two things to be done in order that there should be a fixed rule of action in this class of matter, a rule that should be plain to every one. The Index of books forbidden to be read has been gone over again with the utmost care and this revised list shall be published as soon as it is in readiness. Furthermore, we have directed our attention to the rules themselves and have decided, without changing their general character, to make them more lenient, in order that unless a man be really depraved, he shall not find it a difficult matter to obey them. In this we not only follow the examples of our predecessors, but we also imitate the zeal of the Mother Church, which, with loving zeal, takes pains to spare the infirmities of her children. “Therefore, after mature deliberation and after summoning the cardinals and a holy council to go over the lists of books, we have decided to publish the following general decrees, which are made part of this Constitution. The holy council will in the future make use of these rules only, and Catholics all over the world must obey them scrupulously. We decree that these only shall have the authority of law, and we abrogate the ‘Rules’ published by the order of the very holy Council of Trent, and the ‘observations,’ ‘instructions,’ ‘decrees,’ and ‘precepts,’ and every other statute or law concerning this matter which have been made by our predecessors, except only the ‘Constitution’ of Benedict XIV, which we decree shall remain in force in the future as it has done hitherto.” GENERAL DECREES CONCERNING THE PROHIBITION AND CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS ARTICLE I OF THE PROHIBITION OF BOOKS I. OF THE PROHIBITED BOOKS OF APOSTATES, HERETICS, SCHISMATICS, AND OTHER WRITERS 1. All books condemned before the year 1600 by the Sovereign Pontiffs, or by Oecumenical Councils, and which are not recorded in the new Index, must be considered as condemned in the same manner as formerly: with the exception of such as are permitted by the present General Decrees.