This statement again reminds that the accusations against the Catholic Church and her institutions are to be considered with caution, because of the ignorance of her opponents in Catholic things. This is especially true of the Index. Thus the above assertion is false. _Dante’s_ “Divina Commedia” (the work referred to) is neither forbidden nor needs approval nor correction: of the classical literature of the world little or nothing is forbidden; even morally offensive books, that are considered classical, may without ecclesiastical permission be read for the sake of their elegant diction, whenever their reading is required by one’s work or duty of teaching. A few examples of the _incredible ignorance_ alluded to will suffice. In the “Grande Dictionnaire Universel du XIX. Siècle” it is actually stated that the works of _Albert the Great_ were condemned by a decree of April 10, 1666. What does the Index really forbid? It states: “_Alberto __ Magno, diviso in tre libri, nel primo si tratta della virtu delle herbe, nel secondo della virtu delle pietre, e nel terzo della virtu di alcuni animali._—Albert the Great, in three parts: the first treats of the virtue of plants; the second, of the virtue of stones; and the third, of the virtue of some animals.” It is the title of a little superstitious book, attributed to “Albert the Great” by an unknown author. The first edition of the Index of _Leo XIII._ in 1900 was sold out in less than a year; a second edition followed in 1901, and, like the first, could be had at all booksellers, at a very moderate price. In December, 1901, there appeared in the Anglo-American weekly, “The Roman World,” an article which says that it is difficult to obtain this list of notorious books forbidden to Catholics, unless one be a Church official, since only a few copies are printed and even these are not handled by general book-dealers; hence that no details could be given about the purchase of the copy referred to; but it was quite evident that it had commanded a good price. “The copy in question, a model of fine printing, might be worth about $40 to $50, but owing to its rareness, it had undoubtedly cost $400. The history of this famous Index is interesting. The one who first hit upon the idea was _Charles V._ of Spain, about 1550. The first compilation of the book-list was made by the university of Louvain in 1564, Pope _Paul IV._ assuming the direction of the edition. It remained for 357 years in the hands of the Pope.” Every one of these statements is false. And just as false is the statement that the “Syllabus condemns not only a book written by a Pope, but by Pope _Leo XIII._ himself.” Still it could not surprise us, since even David’s psalter is on the Index! When the Index of _Leo XIII._ was published, Dr.