228 FOUKTH PERIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
pride at the very outset ; for they will not easily learn humility in a high position. They should preach by their lives as well as their words. " He who, by the necessity of his position, is required to speak the highest things, is compelled by the same necessity to exemplify the highest. For that voice best pene trates the hearts of hearers which the life of the speaker com mends, because what he commends in his speech he helps to practice by his example." He advises to combine meditation and action. " Our Lord," he says, " continued in prayer on the mountain, but wrought miracles in the cities ; showing to pastors that while aspiring to the highest, they should mingle in sym pathy with the necessities of the infirm. The more kindly cha rity descends to the lowest, the more vigorously it recurs to the highest." The spiritual ruler should never be so absorbed in external cares as to forget the inner life of the soul, nor neglect external things in the care for his inner life. " The word of doctrine fails to penetrate the mind of the needy, unless com mended by the hand of compassion."
5. Four books of Dialogues on the lives and miracles of St. Benedict of Nursia and other Italian saints, and on the immor tality of the soul (593). These dialogues between Gregory and the Roman archdeacon Peter abound in incredible marvels and visions of the state of departed souls. He acknowledges, how ever, that he knew these stories only from hearsay, and defends his recording them by the example of Mark and Luke, who reported the gospel from what they heard of the eye-witnesses. His veracity, therefore, is not at stake ; but it is strange that a man of his intelligence and good sense should believe such gro tesque and childish marvels. The Dialogues are the chief source of the mediaeval superstitions about purgatory. King Alfred ordered them to be translated into the Anglo-Saxon.
6. His Epistles (838 in all) to bishops, princes, missionaries, and other persons in all parts of Christendom, give us the best idea of his character and administration, and of the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons. They treat of topics of theology, morals,
$ 52. THE WRITINGS OF GREGORY. 229
politics, diplomacy, monasticism, episcopal and papal adminis tration, and give as the best insight into his manifold duties, cares, and sentiments.
7. The Gregorian Sacramentary is based upon the older Sacramcntaries of Gelasius and Leo I., with some changes in the Canon of the Mass. His assertion that in the celebration of the eucharist, the apostles used the Lord's Prayer only (solummodo), has caused considerable discussion. Probably he meant no other prayer, in addition to the words of institution, which he took for granted.
8. A collection of antiphons for mass (Liber Antiphonarius). It contains probably later additions. Several other works of doubtful authenticity, and nine Latin hymns are also attributed to Gregory. They are in the metre of St. Ambrose, without the rhyme, except the " Rex Christe, factor omnium" (which is very highly spoken of by Luther). They are simple, devout, churchly, elevated in thought and sentiment, yet without poetic fire and vigor. Some of them as "Blest Creator of the Light" (Lucis Creator optimc), "O merciful Creator, hear" (Audi, bcate Conditor), "Good it is to keep the fast" (Clarum decus jejunii), have recently been made familiar to English readers in free translations from the Anglo-Catholic school.1 He was a great ritualist (hence called "Master of Ceremonies"), but with con siderable talent for sacred poetry and music. The " Cantus Gregorianus" so called was probably a return from the artistic and melodious antiphonal " Cantus Ambrosianus " to the more an cient and simple mode of chanting. He founded a school of singers, which became a nursery of similar schools in other churches.2
Some other writings attributed to him, as an Exposition of the First Book of Kings, and an allegorical Exposition of the Canticles, are of doubtful genuineness.
1 See "Hymns Ancient and Modern."
8 Comp. Barmby, Greg, the Gr., pp. 188-190; Lau, p. 262; Ebert, I. 519.