Page:The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII.djvu/416

 which appeared to have lost their original opportuneness, she either abolished by decree, or, with equal gentleness and wisdom, permitted them to grow obsolete. In recent times, Pius IX, in a letter to the archbishops and bishops of the States of the Church, considerably mitigated Rule X. Moreover, on the eve of the Vatican Council, he instructed the learned men of the preparatory commission to examine and revise all the rules of the Index, and to advise how they should be dealt with. They unanimously decided that the rules required alteration; and several of the Fathers of the Council openly professed their agreement with this opinion and desire. A letter of the French bishops exists urging the necessity of immediate action in "republishing the rules and the whole scheme of the Index in an entirely new form, better suited to our times and easier to observe." A similar opinion was expressed at the same time by the bishops of Germany, who definitely petitioned that "the rules of the Index might be submitted to a fresh revision and a rearrangement." With these bishops many bishops of Italy and other countries have agreed.

Taking into account the circumstances of our times, the conditions of society, and popular customs, all these requests are certainly justified and in accordance with the maternal affection of Holy Church. In the rapid race of intellect, there is no field of knowledge in which literature has not run riot, hence the daily inundation of most pernicious books. Worst of all, the civil laws not only connive at this serious evil but allow it the widest license. Thus, on the one hand, many minds are in a state of anxiety; whilst, on the other, there is unlimited opportunity for every kind of reading.

Believing that some remedy ought to be applied to these evils, We have thought well to take two steps which will supply a certain and clear rule of action in this matter. First, to diligently revise the Index of books forbidden to be read; and We have ordered this revised edition to be