tedious. There are indeed a ridiculous in- CHAP. XXI. equality and unconnectedness conspicuous 1358. through the whole of this poem. Scipio Africanus is introduced with no propriety as Chaucer's conductor to the Temple of Love; and it would have been a still greater absurdity if he had been shown among the nightingales and thrushes stung with the passion of the spring on St. Valentine's day. Accordingly he is conveniently dropped. He is just shown in the commencement of the narrative, and is heard of no more. We do not know that he even enters the Garden of Love, at the door of which he serves the poet in the capacity of a gentleman-usher. The heroine of the poem, according to Chaucer's arrangement of it, is respresented as a female eagle perched upon the hand of the goddess Nature. Three pretenders to her favour are introduced. Who these are it is impossible for us at this distance of time to determine; but it is probable that the number, and some other circumstances which are related respecting them, are founded in fact, The he roine and her suie ors. XXI. CHAP. The first is plainly the earl of Richmond, who presents himself 1358. With hed enclin'd, and with ful humble chere. ver. 414. The second eagle founds his pretensions upon Of al my life, syth that day I was borne, ver. 484. The balance however is forcibly made to lean in favour of the first, or royal eagle; and his suit, though not accepted, is only deferred for a year, with every omen of final success. Plea. before me, previously to this example. XXI. This subject being dispatched, the assembly CHAP. of birds, who had been exceedingly eager for their dismission, is dissolved. And lorde the blisse and joye which that they make! For ech gan other in his wingés take, S And with her neckés eche gan other * winde, Thankinge alway the noble' goddesse of "kinde. 1358. The conclu sion. ver. 669. S At length, the shouting that "the foules made at her flight away" rouses the poet from his dream. I woke, and other bokés took me to ver. 690. studious ties. This couplet deserved to be quoted as an Chaucer's evidence of the poet's habits. We have propensihere Chaucer's own testimony, that he was a man of incessant reading and literary curi s their. ' embrace. u nature. x still. of age, CHAP. Osity, and that, even at thirty years 1358. and ostentatious court, one of the first and most insatiable passions of his mind was the love of books. 1 CHAP. XXII. OUTLINE OF THE POEM ENTITLED CHAUCER'S DREAM. MARRIAGE OF THE EARL OF RICH CHAUCER'S next production is that en titled his Dream, and was first printed by Mr. Speght, in the edition of 1597. It be may regarded as an epithalamium upon the marriage of the earl of Richmond and the princess Blanche, which took place on the nineteenth of May 1359. It was therefore written after, probably immediately after, that pe XXII. 1359. 2 * Walsingham, ad ann. She is styled countess of Richmond, in a patent in Rymer, dated 28 August in this year; Foedera, Tom. VI. |
