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Austrian Statutes on Censorship and Printing, Vienna (1785)
Source: Private Collection
Citation:
Austrian Statutes on Censorship and Printing, Vienna (1785), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
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His Majesty's views in these matters are as follows:
1. One should deal harshly with anything that contains displays of
immorality and incoherent drivel, from which no learning or enlightenment
can ever ensue. All other works, however, in which one finds learning, factual
knowledge and orderly propositions, are to be treated with all the more
leniency as in contrast to the former, which are read only by the rabble and
the weak-minded, the latter books are such as to come into the hands of those
with suitably prepared minds and of steadfast character.
2. Works which systematically attack the Catholic creed or, as is
more frequently the case, Christian religion as such are to be tolerated just
as little as those people who, in order to facilitate the incursion [into
Austrian lands] of the tenets of infidelity which are gaining ground [elsewhere],
publicly deride and ridicule religion, or those who give a false and contemptible
picture of religion by means of a superstitious misrepresentation of the
attributes of God.
3. Critical works, as long as they aren't of a libellous nature, are
not to be forbidden, irrespective of whom they may be directed against - from
the sovereign right down to the humblest subject - especially if the author
has his name printed on the title-page too and thereby shows his willingness to
No Transcription available.
Source: Private Collection
Citation:
Austrian Statutes on Censorship and Printing, Vienna (1785), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
Back | Record | Images | Commentaries: [1]
Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
His Majesty's views in these matters are as follows:
1. One should deal harshly with anything that contains displays of
immorality and incoherent drivel, from which no learning or enlightenment
can ever ensue. All other works, however, in which one finds learning, factual
knowledge and orderly propositions, are to be treated with all the more
leniency as in contrast to the former, which are read only by the rabble and
the weak-minded, the latter books are such as to come into the hands of those
with suitably prepared minds and of steadfast character.
2. Works which systematically attack the Catholic creed or, as is
more frequently the case, Christian religion as such are to be tolerated just
as little as those people who, in order to facilitate the incursion [into
Austrian lands] of the tenets of infidelity which are gaining ground [elsewhere],
publicly deride and ridicule religion, or those who give a false and contemptible
picture of religion by means of a superstitious misrepresentation of the
attributes of God.
3. Critical works, as long as they aren't of a libellous nature, are
not to be forbidden, irrespective of whom they may be directed against - from
the sovereign right down to the humblest subject - especially if the author
has his name printed on the title-page too and thereby shows his willingness to
No Transcription available.