in Roman antiquity, a magistrate, whose business it was to reform the manners, and to value the estates of the people.

There were two censors first created in the 311th year of Rome, upon the senate's observing that the consuls were generally so much taken up in military actions as to have no leisure to attend to private affairs. At first they were chosen out of the senate, but after the plebeians had got the consulate open to them, they soon arrived at the censorship.

After the censors were elected in the comitia centuriata, they proceeded to the capitol, where they took an oath not to manage either by favour or disaffection, but to act equitably and impartially through the whole course of their administration; and, notwithstanding their great authority, they were obliged to give an account of their management to the tribunes and ediles curules. In process of time, the dignity of this office dwindled very much; under the emperors it sunk to nothing, as their majesties engrossed all the branches of that jurisdiction. The republic of Venice has at this day a censor of manners of their people, whose office lasts six months.

CENSORS of books, are a body of doctors or others established in divers countries, to examine all books before they go to the press, and to see they contain nothing contrary to faith and good manners.

At Paris, the faculty of theology claim this privilege, as granted to them by the pope; but in 1624, new commissions of four doctors were created, by letters-patent, the sole censors of all books, and answerable for every thing contained therein.

In England, we had formerly an officer of this kind, under the title of Licensor of the press; but, since the revolution, our press has been laid under no such restraint.