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F. VINCENTIUS FANUS

OF THE ORDER OF PREACHERS, SECRETARY

OF THE SACRED CONGREGATION

OF THE INDEX.

TO THE CATHOLIC READER.

Last year, an Index of Prohibited Books was published, presenting both the Pontifical Constitutions issued on this matter, and the individual decrees pertaining to it, and whatever else seemed to belong to an Index that was complete in all its aspects. Behold, by order, I issue another, different from the former in the mere arrangement of its necessary parts, and therefore both more concise and in some places more comprehensive. Indeed, that punctuation of the first, second, and third classes, which appeared in the Tridentine and Clementine Indices, is here deliberately omitted so that the alphabetical order is less disrupted (which is certainly more convenient for you, because it is more prompt). It runs here in a continuous series and simple context. Nevertheless, if by chance you still desire to note those same distinctions of classes, they will occur to you readily: provided you notice that wherever you see only the first and last name of a prohibited author, you should know it has been brought here from the first class of the Tridentine and Clementine Index. But where a book is indicated alone without the author’s name or surname, consider it found in the third class, which comprises the works of uncertain authors. Finally, where the author and his book, or books, are named together, remember that it has been assigned to the second class. Do not be surprised if one and the same book, or writer of a book, recurs in several places in this alphabet, for it was necessary that if you did not have in mind his proper title or the name you were seeking, you might at least encounter the one you were investigating elsewhere, by way of his surname or the subject matter of the writing. Farewell, and enjoy.