MR. TOVEY, GRAY, AND DANTE.
[To THE EDITOR OE TRE "SPECTATOR"]
SIR,—The writer of the article on Gray in the Spectator of July 5th is hardly justified in his criticism of Mr. Tovey for giving "non ragionar " as Dante's text in the passage quoted from the " Commedia," (Inf. iii., 51) by Gray in his Journal in the Lakes. "Non ragionar " is a well-recognized variant for the more usual "non ragioniam " (not " ragionam " as printed by Mr. Gosse), and is perfectly good Italian. It is registered by Witte in his critical edition and by Dr. Moore in his "Textual Criticism of the Divine. Commedia." It ia pretty certain, however, that Gray wrote "non ragioniam" (as both Mason and Mr. Tovey print), since that is the reading of the edition of the " Commedia" possessed by him, viz., the Venice 1578 folio edition, with the commentaries of Landino
and Vellutello.—I am, Sir, &c., PA.GET TOYNDEE. Fiveways, Burnhatn, Bucks.
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