rarunt in Edictis suis datis die 17 Dec., 1544; in Lib. 1°. Edict. Flandriæ, fol. 129, 30 Junii, 1546; ibid. fol. 134, die 29 Apr., 1550; ibid. fol. 157, die 19 Maii, 1570. In Lib. 2, Edict. Flandriæ, fol. 8, et Prædecessorum nostrorum mandata renovavimus duobus aliis decretis datis iterum in civitate nostra Bruxellensi die 25 mensis Junii, anno 1729, et 9 Julii, 1731.

It will be easily supposed, from the character of this introductory piece, and from the preceding observations, as well as the title of the whole, that the Index has a particular, and indeed principal, regard to Jansenism and its descendent sects, whether with or without a distinct name. And it is the fact: although at the same time the parent principles of Jesuitism, devoted attachment to the Italian church, and the exaltation of the ecclesiastic above the civil power, are by no means lost sight of. The work consists, as its authors or defenders assert, of 2268 articles, which is a moderate number, particularly if it include the numerous repetitions of the same work under different titles, which occur in it. Although as intolerant as may be supposed, the production is respectably executed. It is hardly necessary to adduce particulars. Yet there is one, which ought not to be overlooked; for who would have expected to find in these ranks the name of Bossuet

-Bossuet, the eagle of Meaux, the Malleus Hæreticorum? But here we have the condemnation in plain terms, and without any ceremony. Defensio declarationis celeberrimæ quam de Potestate ecclesiastica sanxit Clerus Gallicanus 19 Martii, 1682, ab Illus. ac Rev. Jacobo Benigno Bossuet Meldensi Episcopo ex speciali jussu Ludovici Magni Scripta, 2 vol. in 4to. Luxemburgi, 1730.

The document which immediately follows, and which is found in the second Appendix, prefixed to the Supplemental volume of Van Espen's works, with some others to be noticed in their place, is, the Project of a Placard to authorize the new catalogue by Charles (VI.) Emperor of Germany. It purports, that the Cardinal, Archbishop of Malines, and the Bishops of Bruges, Gand, Antwerp, and Ipres, having observed the increasing and irresistible diffusion of heretical writings, had devised and composed the Catalogue presented to him, as the most effectual remedy; and that, having consulted with his sister, his Lieutenant and Governess-General of the Netherlands, he had ordained as follows, in Thirty-three Articles. The first enjoins the publication of the Catalogue with the present ordonnance. The second forbids the selling, &c., of the condemned books under pain of It is hardly necessary to specify the others, which authorize the most

minute and vexatious visitations of booksellers' shops, &c., and interfere in the most tyrannical manner with public sales of books, and, in fact, and in one word, introduce the most rigorous practice of the Inquisition with all its barbarizing consequences. The printed copy has the date, 24th Dec., 1735.

By a letter of the Governess, which is not printed, and is dated Sept. 24, 1735, this project is referred to the Council of Brabant for its advice.

That advice is given at considerable length, and appears in the Appendix which has already been referred to. It exposes very effectually the arbitrary and unjust character of a great portion of the censures in the proposed Index, and the Rules annexed to it, as well as the Ordonnance with which it was intended to be accompanied; more especially objecting to the imposition of the Tridentine Rules. The argument, however, which represents the Expurgatory Belgic Index of 1571 as qualifying and restraining the Prohibitory one previously issued in 1569, hardly appears to be conclusive. It is, indeed, simply local; and does not affect the general train of reasoning. The document concludes with recommending a reference to the other councils of the provinces.

Dated 12 Jan., 1736. Some small documents are added at the end.

The editors of the Appendix which we have had occasion to refer to so frequently, affirm that all the councils agreed in the same view of the affair; and that the Consultum of that of Brabant was followed by those of the Privy Council of Brussels and the Grand Council of Malines.

The two last,' they add, 'are said to be more extended: but we have not been able to procure them.'

In my MS. the next piece which occurs is that very desideratum, the Avis du Conseil Privé. It certainly is much longer and more definite than that of Brabant. It occupies from fol. 310 to 473. This council goes much over the same ground as that of Brabant: but when it comes to the Catalogue itself it is more elaborate and explicit, proposing certain modifications, which, in its opinion, would render the work unobjectionable. It suggests a triple division of the books specified1, of those absolutely condemned; 2, of those which may be allowed till farther examination and decision; 3, of those allowed absolutely. It then proceeds to every item in order, classing them according to the proposed division. The criticisms, generally speaking, are judicious. In the

last paragraph on the letter G, we have the following important observation. Il seroit inutile de repéter, que dans tout le dit Catalogue on ne trouve pas condamné un seul livre de ceux qui ont voulu attribuer aux Papes ce pouvoir illimité, à l'égard des Princes séculiers, ce qui prouve encore le nécessité qu'il y a de maintenir les auteurs, qui à cet égard ont soutenu les droits des Princes*. It is remarkable that, in fol. 445, the members of the council declare, that the author of the Index is unknown to them. They do not therefore suppose that the alleged authors are the real. The manner in which they vindicate some works of imagination, denounced in the Catalogue, fol. 448, does not impress a notion, to say the least of it, of the rigidity of their morality. The difficulty of correction, when it comes to the execution, and the necessity in such cases of re-impression, are insisted upon; and it is roundly asserted, with respect to books absolutely bad, that no decisive opinion has been found possible, either in their own or any other country. They conclude by recommending to Her Serene Highness, that if any new Catalogue should be judged necessary, it should include only books of the first class, and that the project should be altered according to their sug

* This was a common and just complaint: it was made by Fra Paolo, in a part of his Discorso on the Inquisition, which has been referred to.