13 JULY 1878, Page 17

TRAJAN IN DANTE.

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") SIR,—In the review of Canon Bright's "Early English Church History," you refer to the "legend embedded in the Purgatorio ' to the effect that the soul of Trajan passed into Gregory the Great." This must be a slip of the pen. In the " Purgatorio " (canto x.), Dante, according to the commentators, refers to the story told by Ser Brunetto, that St. Gregory, in admiration of the self-denial and justice of Trajan, prayed God to take the soul of the Pagan Prince out of hell. St. Gregory gained a "great victory," the soul of the Emperor was delivered ; but the Pope had to bear, during his life, the penalty of his presumption. He was afterwards always ill with fever and side-ache.—I am, Sir, &c.,