[84] 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. [85] Giudicassimo esser necessario venir contro di te al rigoroso esame nel quale rispondesti cattolicamente. [86] The fate of these documents is curious; after being long preserved at Rome, they were carried away in 1809, by order of Buonaparte, to Paris, where they remained till his first abdication. Just before the hundred days, the late king of France, wishing to inspect them, ordered that they should be brought to his own apartments for that purpose. In the hasty flight which soon afterwards followed, the manuscripts were forgotten, and it is not known what became of them. A French translation, begun by Napoleon's desire, was completed only down to the 30th of April, 1633, the date of Galileo's first return to Nicolini's palace. [87] Page 18. [88] Annalium Bolorum, libri vii. Ingolstadii, 1554. [89] La Chiesa non ha mai dichiarati eretici i sostenitori del Sistema Copernicano, e questa troppo rigorosa censura non usci che dal tribunale della Romana Inquisizione a cui niuno tra Cattolici ancor piu zelanti ha mai attribuito it diritto dell'infallibilità. Anzi in cio ancora è d' ammirarsi la providenza di Dio à favor della Chiesa, percioche in un tempo in cui la maggior parte dei teologi fermamente credavano che il Sistema Copernicano fosse all' autorità delle sacre Carte contrario, pur non permise che dalla Chiesa si proferisse su cio un solenne giudizio.—Stor. della Lett. Ital. [90] Lib. Fromondi Antaristarchus, Antwerpiæ, 1631. [91] Newtoni Principia, Coloniæ, 1760. [92] Histoire de l'Astronomie Moderne. CHAPTER XIV. _Extracts from the Dialogues on the System._