Is the Bible Indictable? Being an Enquiry whether the Bible Comes within the Ruling of the Lord Chief Justice as to Obscene Literature

An inquisitive look at Victorian law reveals how the notion of “obscene” was as much about economics as morality. The author dissects landmark court decisions, noting how the price of a book could turn a serious medical guide into a prosecutable offence while a costly work of art escaped censure. Through vivid comparisons—cheap pamphlets on abortion, cheap reproductions of classical nudes, and the expensive volumes of celebrated poets—the essay lays bare the paradox that wealth, not content, often dictated legality.

The treatise also traces the origins of the Obscene Publications Act, quoting the era’s legal minds on the purpose and limits of censorship. By questioning whether sacred texts could be judged under the same standards, it invites listeners to reflect on how laws balance public decency, intent, and access. The argument remains a thought‑provoking snapshot of a time when the line between knowledge and indecency was drawn with a penny‑scale ruler.