按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rarity of his gifts； his great attainments； elegant manners； and
refined tastes which made him the companion of the great； since at
that time only princes and nobles and ecclesiastical dignitaries
could appreciate his genius or enjoy his writings。
Although Chaucer had written several poems which were admired in
his day； and made translations from the French； among which was the
〃Roman de la Rose；〃 the most popular poem of the Middle Ages；a
poem which represented the difficulties attendant on the passion of
love； under the emblem of a rose which had to be plucked amid
thorns；yet his best works were written in the leisure of
declining years。
The occupation of the poet during the last twelve years of his life
was in writing his 〃Canterbury Tales；〃 on which his fame chiefly
rests； written not for money； but because he was impelled to write
it； as all true poets write and all great artists paint；ex
animo；because they cannot help writing and painting； as the
solace and enjoyment of life。 For his day these tales were a great
work of art； evidently written with great care。 They are also
stamped with the inspiration of genius； although the stories
themselves were copied in the main from the French and Italian；
even as the French and Italians copied from Oriental writers； whose
works were translated into the languages of Europe so that the
romances of the Middle Ages were originally produced in India；
Persia； and Arabia。 Absolute creation is very rare。 Even
Shakspeare； the most original of poets； was indebted to French and
Italian writers for the plots of many of his best dramas。 Who can
tell the remote sources of human invention； who knows the then
popular songs which Homer probably incorporated in his epics； who
can trace the fountains of those streams which have fertilized the
literary world？and hence； how shallow the criticism which would
detract from literary genius because it is indebted； more or less；
to the men who have lived ages ago。 It is the way of putting
things which constitutes the merit of men of genius。 What has
Voltaire or Hume or Froude told the world； essentially； that it did
not know before？ Read； for instance； half…a…dozen historians on
Joan of Arc： they all relate substantially the same facts。 Genius
and originality are seen in the reflections and deductions and
grand sentiments prompted by the narrative。 Let half…a…dozen
distinguished and learned theologians write sermons on Abraham or
Moses or David： they will all be different； yet the main facts will
be common to all。
The 〃Canterbury Tales〃 are great creations； from the humor； the
wit； the naturalness； the vividness of description； and the beauty
of the sentiments displayed in them； although sullied by occasional
vulgarities and impurities； which； however； in all their coarseness
do not corrupt the mind。 Byron complained of their coarseness； but
Byron's poetry is far more demoralizing。 The age was coarse； not
the mind of the author。 And after five hundred years； with all the
obscurity of language and obsolete modes of spelling； they still
give pleasure to the true lovers of poetry when they have once
mastered the language； which is not； after all； very difficult。 It
is true that most people prefer to read the great masters of
poetry； in later times； but the 〃Canterbury Tales〃 are interesting
and instructive to those who study the history of language and
literature。 They are links in the civilization of England。 They
paint the age more vividly and accurately than any known history。
The men and women of the fourteenth century； of all ranks； stand
out to us in fresh and living colors。 We see them in their dress；
their feasts； their dwellings； their language； their habits； and
their manners。 Amid all the changes in human thought and in social
institutions the characters appeal to our common humanity；
essentially the same under all human conditions。 The men and women
of the fourteenth century love and hate； eat and drink； laugh and
talk； as they do in the nineteenth。 They delight； as we do； in the
varieties of dress； of parade； and luxurious feasts。 Although the
form of these has changed； they are alive to the same sentiments
which move us。 They like fun and jokes and amusement as much as
we。 They abhor the same class of defects which disgust us；
hypocrisies； shams； lies。 The inner circle of their friendship is
the same as ours to…day； based on sincerity and admiration。 There
is the same infinite variety in character； and yet the same
uniformity。 The human heart beats to the same sentiments that it
does under all civilizations and conditions of life。 No people can
live without friendship and sympathy and love； and these are
ultimate sentiments of the soul； which are as eternal as the ideas
of Plato。 Why do the Psalms of David。 written for an Oriental
people four thousand years ago； excite the same emotions in the
minds of the people of England or France or America that they did
among the Jews？ It is because they appeal to our common humanity；
which never changes；the same to…day as it was in the beginning；
and will be to the end。 It is only form and fashion which change；
men remain the same。 The men and women of the Bible talked nearly
the same as we do； and seem to have had as great light on the
primal principles of wisdom and truth and virtue。 Who can improve
on the sagacity and worldly wisdom of the Proverbs of Solomon？
They have a perennial freshness； and appeal to universal
experience。 It is this fidelity to nature which is one of the
great charms of Shakspeare。 We quote his brief sayings as
expressive of what we feel and know of the certitudes of our moral
and intellectual life。 They will last forever； under every variety
of government； of social institutions； of races； and of languages。
And they will last because these every…day sentiments are put in
such pithy； compressed； unique； and novel form； like the Proverbs
of Solomon or the sayings of Epictetus。 All nations and ages alike
recognize the moral wisdom in the sayings of those immortal sages
whose writings have delighted and enlightened the world； because
they appeal to consciousness or experience。
Now it must be confessed that the Poetry of Chaucer does not abound
in the moral wisdom and spiritual insight and profound reflections
on the great mysteries of human life which stand out so
conspicuously in the writings of Dante； Shakspeare； Milton； Goethe；
and other first…class poets。 He does not describe the inner life；
but the outward habits and condition of the people of his times。
He is not serious enough； nor learned enough； to enter upon the
discussion of those high themes which agitated the schools and
universities； as Dante did one hundred years before。 He tells us
how monks and friars lived； not how they dreamed and speculated。
Nor are his sarcasms scorching and bitter； but rather humorous and
laughable。 He shows himself to be a genial and loving companion；
not an austere teacher of disagreeable truths。 He is not solemn
and intense； like Dante； he does not give wings to his fancy； like
Spenser； he has not the divine insight of Shakspeare； he is not
learned； like Milton； he is not sarcastic； like Pope； he does not
rouse the passions； like Byron； he is not meditative； like
Wordsworth；but he paints nature with great accuracy and delicacy；
as also the men and women of his age； as they appeared in their
outward life。 He describes the passion of love with great
tenderness and simplicity。 In all his poems； love is his greatest
theme；which he bases； not on physical charms； but the moral
beauty of the soul。 In his earlier life he does not seem to have
done full justice to women； whom he ridicules； but does not
despise； in whom he indeed sees the graces of chivalry； but not the
intellectual attraction of cultivated life。 But later in life；
when his experiences are broader and more profound； he makes amends
for his former mistakes。 In his 〃Legend of Good Women；〃 which he
wrote at the command of Anne of Bohemia； wife of Richard II。； he
eulogizes the sex and paints the most exalted sentiments of the
heart。 He not only had great vividness in the description of his
characters； but doubtless great dramatic talent； which his age did
not call out。 His descriptions of nature are very fresh and
beautiful； indicating a great love of nature；flowers； trees；
birds； lawns； gardens； waterfalls； falcons； dogs； horses； with whom
he almost talked。 He had a great sense of the ridiculous； hence
his humor and fun and droll descriptions； which will ever interest
because they are so fresh and vivid。 And as a poet he continually
improved as he advanced in life。 His last works are his best；
showing the care and labor he bestowed； as well as his fidelity to
nature。 I am amazed； considering his time； that he was so great an
artist without having a knowledge of the principles