ILLUSTRATIONS.

The Knight, the Squier, the Yeoman, the Prioresse,

etc.

The Sergeant of the Lawe, the Frankelein, the
Marchant, the Clerk, etc.

The Shipman, the Wife of Bath, the Cook, the
Doctour, etc.

The Reve, the Manciple, the Sompnour, and the

Miller

And with that word we riden forth our way.

66

Ah, sweet! are ye a worldly creature"

"Cease," quoth the Merle, "thy preaching, Nightin

gale"

"Blame not my lute"

The secret groves which oft we made resound.

The soote season, that bud and bloom forth brings

Jolly good ale and old

With how sad steps, O Moon! thou climb'st the skies.

My wealth is health and perfect ease

The cottage that affords no pride nor care.

His flocks are folded, he comes home at night.
Address to the Nightingale

Come live with me, and be my love.

.

.

Time goes by turns

Una and the Red-cross Knight

.

Like as a ship, that through the ocean wide

Fair Cynthia's silver light

The wrathful winter 'proaching on apace.
Hawthorn had lost his motley livery

Some glory in their birth.

Blow, blow, thou winter wind

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky.
On a bat's back I do fly

Autolycus' Song.

You spotted snakes, with double tongue

.

Drawn by

GEORGE THOMAS .

GEORGE THOMAS .

GEORGE THOMAS .

GEORGE THOMAS .
GEORGE THOMAS.
GEORGE THOMAS

F. W. KEYI..

JULIAN PORTCH

E. M. WIMPERIS

E. M. WIMPERIS

FELIX DARLEY.

E. M. WIMPERIS

BIRKET FOSTER

BIRKET FOSTER

JOHN GILBERT.

F. W. KEYL..
E. M. WIMPERIS
FELIX DARLEY.
GEORGE THOMAS .
E. M. WIMPERIS
BIRKET FOSTER
E. M. WIMPERIS

J. H. HILL.
JOHN GILBERT.
JOHN GILBERT.
E. M. WIMPERIS

JOHN GILBERT.
JOHN GILBERT.

JOHN GILBERT.

Caliban's song

If all the world and love were young

Then give them all the lie.

Fair is my love, and cruel as she's fair

When Phabus lifts his head.

The hart above the rest, the hunter's noblest game

My written rolls of moral counsels.

On Sunday heaven's gate stands ope

Sweet day so cool, so calm, so bright
Farewell, rewards and fairies

I sent thee late a rosy wreath.

See the chariot at hand here of love.
You meaner beauties of the night
Think not, 'cause men flatt'ring say
The proclamation made for May
Sweet country life

The heifer, cow, and ox draw near.

I love the sea, she is my fellow-creature

Now great Hyperion left his golden throne

Thrice, oh, thrice happy, shepherd's life and state

The torrent of a voice, whose melody

To war and arms I fly.

While I lie tangled in her hair.

The glories of our birth and state
From Oberon, in fairy land
Through pools and ponds
That kept a brave old house

A crew of lusty men

So now is come our joyful'st feast

The wenches with their wassail bowls

Margarita first possest.

Where Thames among the wanton valleys strays

Hence, loathed Melancholy

Mirth, admit me of thy crew.

Till the dappled dawn doth rise.

Cheerly rouse the slumbering morn.
And every shepherd tells his tale.
Hard by a cottage-chimney smokes

And then, in haste, her bower she leaves
And young and old come forth to play
His shadowy flail had thrash'd the corn
Tower'd cities please us then.

Such sights as youthful poets dream
Thoughts in a garden.

Vulcan, contrive me such a cup.
I in these flowery meads would be
Go, lovely Rose

O ye groves and crystal fountains

When first thy eyes unveil

At last divine Cecilia came

Love has still something of the seas.

Built uniform, not little, nor too great
To all you ladies now at land

Meanwhile he smokes, and laughs at merry tales
In the vast abyss

Down bend the banks, the trees depending grow
Twas built with turrets on a rising ground.

"Lord, as in heaven, on earth Thy will be done"
The moon takes up the wondrous tale

The victor's shouts and dying groans confound.

The cord slides swiftly through his glowing hands .

Cease, cease, thou cruel ocean.

And all the village wept

And on his fist, th' unhooded falcon sits

As the good shepherd tends his fleecy care
And boys in flow'ry bands the tiger lead.

PROLOGUE TO THE CANTERBURY TALES.

BY GEOFFREY CHAUCER.

Geoffrey ChaUCER, the "Father of English Poetry," was born in London in 1328. The rank of his family is unknown, but it must have been respectable. It is believed that he was educated at Cambridge, and that, after leaving that University, he travelled for some time on the Continent, and then devoted himself to the law, but afterwards relinquished the Bar for the Court. He married a sister of the lady who afterwards became the wife of John of Gaunt, and obtained considerable influence through the favour of that Prince, which led to his receiving some profitable appointments, and being sent on embassies. His alleged connexion with the reformer Wycliffe brought upon him many misfortunes, and ended in his being an exile and a prisoner for a long period. He at length regained his liberty, and lived remote from Court, amid the charming shades of Woodstock, where he wrote many of his best poems. The accession of Henry Bolingbroke, the son of his brother-in-law and patron, drew him from his retirement; his fortunes became once more bright, and he spent the evening of his days in ease and abundance. died in 1400, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. His principal poems are a series known as the "Canterbury Tales," the Prologue to which we have printed as the best example of his style. ]

He

WHANNE that Aprille with his shoures sote'

2

The droughte of March hath perced to the rote,3
And bathed every veine in swiche+ licour,
Of whiche vertue engendred is the flour;"
Whan Zephirus eke with his sote brethe
Enspired hath in every holt and hethe
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,?
And smale foules maken melodie,

That slepen alle night with open eye,

1 Sweet. 5 Flower.

8

6

4 Such.

8 Small birds.