The in?uence of political and social changes upon Latin is more manifest in profane than in religious literature. In this connection Gregory, B who wrote at the several reasons. He was really among the first of the mediaeval chroniclers, and yet he wrote in the twilight of classical culture. His works occasionally give us a glimpse into the life of his age, and a view of the personality of the author and his relations to his contemporaries that is interesting, and goes far toward making his writings real literature. Gregory is still an individual, not a mere member of an order, like the monkish chroniclers. He was one of the last who wrote when Latin was still a spoken language among the commons.* It was his mother tongue.1'