Now, every prohibitory law may have the effect of increasing the inclination of men towards the prohibited thing or act. Thus a person may possibly feel a stronger appetite for meat on Friday than on any other day of the week. We have inherited this tendency from Eve, who, when tempted, saw that the forbidden fruit “_was good to eat and fair to the eye and delightful to behold_,” and then proceeded to violate the first prohibitory law ever given. But is that a reason to do away with every prohibitory law? Who does not see at once that the Index must prove a very poor advertising medium? Those who have it are certainly not the prospective buyers of immoral novels or of works which propagate heretical views in theology; while those who hanker after sensationalism or doubtful theology will not invest $2.25 for a book list which contains, e. g. for the year 1898, fully eight titles, four of which are German, and for 1903 fifteen, all French. This side of the question, as we have remarked elsewhere, is also in each case carefully weighed by the Sacred Congregation, before it resolves upon a prohibition. Even if the sale of a book should be increased by the fact of its condemnation, the Index would nevertheless achieve its main purpose, namely, to warn the faithful that the ideas advocated in the proscribed book are contrary to faith and morals. This is enough for all men of good will to enable them to shun the poison. Those who refuse to heed the warning will have to blame their own ignorance or malice if the reading of a condemned book results in spiritual hurt. C. Index Decisions Not Omitted for Fear of Apostasies. A book, we are reminded, often represents the opinions not only of its author, but of many of his disciples and admirers. By forbidding it and thus branding such opinions as erroneous, it is said, many influential men may become embittered and may even be driven into an attitude of open hostility. However, the Church is in duty bound to exercise her guardianship; which she cannot do if every one is to have his own way. Nor can the Church neglect the mass of her children in order to accommodate this or that coterie or school, whose opinions are manifestly wrong. Moreover, to be a trustworthy guide, the Church must state the truth clearly and unmistakably. The faithful are not guided by ambiguous circumlocutions, by terms that may be understood in two or perhaps more ways. Neither may she keep exclusively in the lofty heights of theory; but she must instruct with regard to the facts of everyday life. The dangers arising from books are _concrete_ not _abstract_, and they must be met by concrete measures. This can be done effectively only by an energetic and unmistakable “thou shalt not,” which makes men realize that they are “under authority.”