at the same time his good feeling never at fault any more than his good sense, his inexhaustible and unflagging fun and spirit, and the all-accommodating humour and perfect sympathy with which, without for a moment stooping from his own frank and manly character, he bears himself to every individual of the varied cavalcade. He proposes that they should draw cuts to decide who was to begin; and with how genuine a courtesy, at once encouraging and reverential, he first addresses himself to the modest Clerk, and the gentle Lady Prioress, and the Knight, who also was "of his port as meek as is a maid:" Sir Knight, quod he, my maister and my lord, But for personages of another order, again, he is another man, giving and taking jibe and jeer with the hardest and boldest in their own style and humour, only more nimbly and happily than any of them, and without ever compromising his dignity. And all the while his kindness of heart, simple and quick, and yet considerate, is as conspicuous as the cordial appreciation and delight with which he enters into the spirit of what is going forward, and enjoys the success of his scheme. For example, When that the Knight had thus his tale told, And worthy to be drawen to memorie,a a Probably pronounced stò-ri-e and me-mò-ri-e. b с And namely the gentles everich one. By Goddes' soul, quod he, that woll not I, Our Host answered, Tell on a devil way; Now, hearkeneth, quod the Millar, all and some; That I am drunk, I know it by my soun, * Stop for. "In such a voice as Pilate was used to speak with in the Mysteries. Pilate, being an odious character, was probably represented as speaking with a harsh disagreeable voice."Tyrwhitt. m Know. 。 Dear. n For the nonce, for the occasion. Lay the blame of it on. The Millar is at last allowed to tell his tale-which is more accordant with his character, and the condition he was in, than with either good morals or good manners ;— as the poet observes: What should I more say, but this Millere The Millar's Tale is capped by another in the same style from his fellow "churl" the Reve (or Bailiff)—who before he begins, however, avails himself of the privilege of his advanced years to prelude away for some time in a preaching strain, till his eloquence is suddenly cut short by the voice of authority : : When that our Host had heard this sermoning, Say forth thy tale, and tarry not the time; a Churl's. a Cobbler. b Physician. b Choose. C Deptford. Tyrwhitt supposes this means half-past seven in the morning. e In which (wherein) is many a shrew. The last specimen we shall give of "our Host" shall be from the Clerk's Prologue :— Sir Clerk of Oxenford, our Hoste said, Tell us some merry tale by your fay;c This worthy Clerk benignely answerd; As Linianf did of philosophy, Or law, or other art particulere; But death, that wol not suffre us dwellen here Sophism, perhaps generally for a logical argument. b Be. d Surely. c Faith. e Proved. f A great lawyer of the fourteenth century. But as it were a twinkling of an eye, Them both hath slain, and alle we shall die. And our last specimen of the Canterbury Tales, and also of Chaucer, being a passage exhibiting that power of pathos in the delicacy as well as in the depth of which he is unrivalled, shall be taken from this tale told by the Clerk, the exquisite tale of Griselda. Her husband has carried his trial of her submission and endurance to the last point by informing her that she must return to her father, and that his new wife is coming by the way:" 66 And she again answerd in patience: My lord, quod she, I wot, and wist alway, I ne held me never digne " in no manere That ye so long, of your benignity, That thank I God and you, to whom I pray |