Of these dialects the East Midland, spoken, with some variation, from the Humber to the Thames, was perhaps the simplest in its grammatical structure, the most free from those broad provincialisms which particularized the speech of other districts, and presented the nearest approach in form and substance to the language of the present day as spoken and written by educated Englishmen. In the works of Orm and Robert of Brunne we have evidence of its great capacity for literary purposes. Wicliffe and Gower added considerably to its importance, but in the hands of Chaucer it attained to the dignity of a national language". He represented, and identified himself with, that new life which the English people at this time were just commencing, and his works reflect not only his own inimitable genius, but the spirit, tastes, and feelings of his age. It was this, combined with his thorough mastery over the English language, that caused Chaucer to become to others (what no one had been before) a standard of literary excellence; and for two hundred years after he had no equal, but was regarded as the father of English poetry, the Homer of his country, and the well of English undefiled. With the Canterbury Tales commences the modern period of English literature. Our earlier authors are usually studied for their philological importance, and most of them require the aid of a grammar and a glossary, but Chaucer is as easily understood as Spenser and Shakespeare. Not many of his terms are wholly obsolete, and but few of his inflections have gone wholly out of use. But as some special acquaintance with Chaucer's English will be of great service in mastering the poet's system of versification, an outline of his grammatical forms is subjoined, which will be found useful should the young student feel disposed to make himself acquainted with the works of earlier English writers.

n From this Babylonish comparison of speech [i. e. the numerous local dialects of the English language in the fourteenth century] the influence and example of Chaucer did more to rescue his native tongue than any other single cause; and if we compare his dialect with that of any writer of an earlier date, we shall find that in compass, flexibility, expressiveness, grace, and of all the higher qualities of poetical diction, he gave it at once the utmost perfection which the materials at his hand would admit of.' (Marsh, The Origin and History of the English Language, p. 381.)

NOUNS.

Number.-The nominative plural for the most part termin

ates in -ës :

And with his strëmes dryeth in the grevës

The silver dropës hongyng on the leeves.'

(Knightes Tale, 11. 637-8.)

1. -s is frequently added-1. To nouns terminating in a liquid or dental, as bargayns, naciouns, palmers, pilgryms, &c.; 2. To most words of more than one syllable.

-is, -us, for -es—as bestis (beasts), leggus (legs), othus (oaths)—is a dialectical variety, and probably due to the scribe who copied the MS.

2. Some few nouns (originally forming the plural in -an) have -en, -n; as asschen (ashes); assen (asses); been (bees); eyen, yen (eyes); Aleen (fleas); Aon (arrows); oxen; ton, toon (toes); schoon (shoes).

The following have -n, which has been added to older forms— (1) in -e (originally in -u); (2) in a or y.

(1) Bretheren (A. S. brothru, O. E. brothre, brethre), brothers. Doughteren (A. S. dobtru, O. E. dobtere), daughters.

Sistren, sustren (A. S. seostru, O. E. swustre), sisters.
Children (A. S. cildru, O. E. childere), children °.

(2) Fon, foon (A. S. fá), foes; kyn (A. S. cy) kine P.

3. The following nouns, originally neuter, have no termination in the plural: deer, folk, good, hors, neet, scheep, swin, thing, yer, `yeer; as in the older stages of the language night, winter, freond (A. S. frynd) are used as plurals.

4. Feet, gees, men, teeth, are examples of the plural by vowelchange.

Case. The genitive case singular ends in -ës; as

'Ful worthi was he in his lordës werre.' (Prol. 1. 47.)

• In some of the O. E. Northern and Midland dialects we find brether (brothers), childer (children), deghter (daughters).

P In some of the Northern and Midland dialects we find kye (cows).

1. In Anglo-Saxon fader, brother, doughter, took no inflexion in the genitive singular: this explains such phrases as 'fader day,' 'fader soule,' 'brother sone,' ' doughter name.'

2. The following phrases contain remnants of feminine nouns which originally formed the genitive in -an (1st declension of A. S. nouns):-'Lady (=ladyë) grace;' 'lady veyl;' 'cherche blood;' 'herte blood;' 'widow (=widewe) sone;' sonnë upriste' (uprising).

3. The dative case singular terminates in -e; as beddë, boltë, &c.

4. The genitive plural is much the same as in modern English; as 'foxës tales;' 'mennës wittes.' Forms in -en (=-ene) are not common in Chaucer's works: 'his eyghen (of eyes) sight' occurs in Canterbury Tales, l. 10134 (Wright's Text).

ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives, like the modern German, have two forms-Definite and Indefinite. The definite form preceded by the definite article, a demonstrative adjective, or a possessive pronbun, terminates in -ë in all cases of the singular; as 'the yonge sone,' 'his halfe cours,' &c. Words of more than one syllable nearly always omit the final -e.

The vocative case of the adjective takes this -e; as 'leeve brother' (1. 326, p. 38); 'O stronge God' (l. 155, p. 74).

Degrees of Comparison. The Comparative degree is formed by adding -er (-ere) to the Positive; as lever, farrer (farrere), gretter (grettere).

We have some few abbreviated forms remaining; as derre (dearer); ferre (further); herre (higher); ner, nerre (nearer); sore (sorer). Leng, lenger (lengere), strenger, are examples of vowel-change; as in modern English elder, the comparative of old. The Superlative degree terminates in -est (-este): nest or next, and hext (highest) are abbreviated forms.

Number.-The plural of adjectives is denoted by the final -e :-— 'And smalë fowles maken melodie.' (Prol. 1. 9.)

Adjectives of more than one syllable, and adjectives used predicatively, mostly drop the -e in the plural. Some few adjectives of Romance origin form the plural in -es; as 'places delitables.'

DEMONSTRATIVES.

1. Definite Article.-The (pl. tho= A.S. tha).

In the phrases 'that oon,' 'that other'-which in some dialects became toon (ton), and tother-that is the old form of the neuter article; but Chaucer never uses that except as a demonstrative adjective, as in the present stage of the language.

2. Atte at the (A.S. at tham; O.E. at than, attan, atta).

=

3. Tho must be rendered those, as well as the; as 'tho wordes,' 'and tho were bent.' It is occasionally used pronominally, as 'oon of tho that' = one of those that.

4. This has for its plural this, thise, thes, these (A.S. thús, thœs). 5. Som . . . som=one .

another.

1. The Independent, or more properly speaking, the Predicative forms of the pronouns are min (pl. mine); oure, oures, ours; thin (pl. thine); youre, youres, yours; hire, heres, hers; here, heres, theirs.

2. The Midland dialect seems to have borrowed the forms oures, youres, &c., from the Northern dialect in which oure, youre, &c., are not used.

3. The dative case of the pronouns are used after wel, wo, loth, leef (lief), with impersonal verbs, as 'me mette;' ' him thoughte;' and with some verbs of motion, as 'goth him;' 'he rydeth him.'

4. The pronoun thow is sometimes joined to the verb, as schaltow, wiltow.

5. The Interrogative pronouns are who (gen. whos; dat. and acc. whom), which and what.

a. Which has often the sense of what, what sort of:—

'Which a miracle ther befel anoon.'

(Knightes Tale, 1809; see Prol. 1. 40.)

It is not used exactly as a relative, as in modern English, but is joined with that; as 'Hem whiche that wepith;' 'His love the which that he oweth.'

b. What is occasionally used for why (cp. Lat. quid, Ger. was):

'What schulde he studie and make himselven wood?

'What schulde I alway of his woe endite?'

(Prol. 1. 184.)

(Knightes Tale, 1. 522.)

6. That is a relative pronoun, but it is often used with the personal pronouns, in the following manner :

a. That he = who.

6

A knight ther was, and that a worthy man,

That from the tyme that he first began

To ryden out, be lovede chyvalrye.' (Prol. ll. 43-45.)

b. That his whose.

==

Al were they sorë hurt, and namely oon,

That with a spere was thirled bis brest boon.'

(Knightes Tale, ll. 1843-44.)