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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 of art as
taught by the great masters of composition。
But； as has been already said； his distinguishing excellence is
vivid and natural description of the life and habits； not the
opinions； of the people of the fourteenth century； described
without exaggeration or effort for effect。 He paints his age as
Moliere paints the times of Louis XIV。； and Homer the heroic
periods of Grecian history。 This fidelity to nature and
inexhaustible humor and living freshness and perpetual variety are
the eternal charms of the 〃Canterbury Tales。〃 They bring before
the eye the varied professions and trades and habits and customs of
the fourteenth century。 We see how our ancestors dressed and
talked and ate； what pleasures delighted them； what animosities
moved them； what sentiments elevated them； and what follies made
them ridiculous。 The same naturalness and humor which marked 〃Don
Quixote〃 and the 〃Decameron〃 also are seen in the 〃Canterbury
Tales。〃 Chaucer freed himself from all the affectations and
extravagances and artificiality which characterized the poetry of
the Middle Ages。 With him began a new style in writing。 He and
Wyclif are the creators of English literature。 They did not create
a language； but they formed and polished it。
The various persons who figure in the 〃Canterbury Tales〃 are too
well known for me to enlarge upon。 Who can add anything to the
Prologue in which Chaucer himself describes the varied characters
and habits and appearance of the pilgrims to the shrine of Thomas
Becket at Canterbury？ There are thirty of these pilgrims including
the poet himself； embracing nearly all the professions and trades
then known； except the higher dignitaries of Church and State； who
are not supposed to mix freely in ordinary intercourse； and whom it
would be unwise to paint in their marked peculiarities。 The most
prominent person； as to social standing； is probably the knight。
He is not a nobleman； but he has fought in many battles； and has
travelled extensively。 His cassock is soiled； and his horse is
strong but not gay；a very respectable man； courteous and gallant；
a soldier corresponding to a modern colonel or captain。 His son；
the esquire； is a youth of twenty； with curled locks and
embroidered dress； shining in various colors like the flowers of
May； gay as a bird； active as a deer； and gentle as a maiden。 The
yeoman who attends them both is clad in green like a forester； with
arrows and feathers； bearing the heavy sword and buckler of his
master。 The prioress is another respectable person； coy and
simple； with dainty fingers； small mouth； and clean attire；a
refined sort of a woman for that age； ornamented with corals and
brooch； so stately as to be held in reverence； yet so sentimental
as to weep for a mouse caught in a trap： all characteristic of a
respectable； kind…hearted lady who has lived in seclusion。 A monk；