learning had fallen. A little later that discredit was
completed when Gregory the Great employed his un-
rivalled authority to denounce all secular learning. The
common story that the pope burned the Palatine library,
because, as b John of Salisbury hints, he had a greater
interest in the holy Scriptures, is no doubt false; but it
not inaccurately represents the attitude Gregory took
up in regard to classical studies. The c letter which he
wrote on the subject to Desiderius, bishop of Vienne,
has been often quoted, but it is too characteristic to be
omitted here. The bishop, it seems, had ventured to
teach grammar and read the poets. Gregory s remon
strance is as follows : A report has reached us which we
cannot mention without a blush, that thou expoundest grammar
to certain friends ; whereat we are so offended and filled
with scorn that our former opinion ofthee is turned to mourning
and sorrow. The same mouth singeth not the praises of
Jove and the praises of Christ.[1] Think how grievous and
unspeakable a thing it is for a bishop to utter that which
becometh not even a religious layman. . . . If hereafter it
be clearly established that the rumour which we have heard is
false and that thou art not applying thyself to the idle vanities
of secular learning nugis et secularibus litteris, a significant
hendiadys, we shall render thanks to our God who hath not
delivered over thy heart to be defiled by the blasphemous praises
of unspeakable men.[2]
- ↑ The words, In uno se ore lovis laudibus Christ! laudes non capiunt, have been misunder- stood : see Mullinger, p. 77. I have no doubt that the phrase is borrowed from saint Jerome, Absit ut de ora Christiana sonet lupiter omnipotens, &c. : Ep. ad Damas., Opp. 4 (1) 153, ed. Bened., Paris 1706 folio.
- ↑ M. Haureau, 1. 5, wittily com- pares the language of Jack Cade to lord Say : Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a grammar- school : and whereas before our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used ; and contrary to the king, his crown and dignity, thou hast built a paper- mill. It will be proved to thy face that thou hast men about thee that usually talk of a noun, and a verb, and such abominable words as no Christian ear can endure to hear : 2 King Henry vi. iv. 7. On le voit, l’imagination du poetc n a pu rien ajouter au texte de la lettro pontificale. Un- speakable, nefandus, we may notice, was a favourite word with Gregory, to whom the Lombard was regularly nejandissimus.
