ten books, and consists of a collection of precepts and examples,
compiled from various authors, recommending the chastity of the marriage
bed.

Gower's next work was a Latin production, entitled, "Vox Clamantis," of
which there are many copies still extant. The unfortunate reign of the
poet's royal patron, and the rebellion of Wat Tyler, furnished Gower with
ample materials for this publication.--The "Confessio Amantis" was first
printed in the year 1403, by Caxton.

There is a MS. in Trinity College, Cambridge, consisting of several small
poems by Gower; but they are nearly destitute of merit. The French
sonnets, however, of which there is a volume in the Marquess of
Stafford's library, are spoken of by Mr. Warton, who has given a long
account of them, with specimens, as possessing more merit.

The "Boke of Philip Sparrow," by the witty, but obscene Skelton, who
wrote towards the close of the fifteenth century, says that "Gower's
Englishe is old;" but the learned Dean Collet, in the early part of the
succeeding century, studied not only Gower, but Chaucer, and even
Lydgate, in order to improve and correct his own style. By the close of
that century, however, the language of these writers was become entirely
obsolete.

The "Confessio Amantis" was printed, a second time, by Barthelet, in the
year 1532; a third time in 1544; a fourth in 1554; and, lastly, in a very
correct and worthy manner, in the year 1810, under the judicious
inspection of Dr. Chalmers.

It were ungrateful to withhold from Gower some acknowledgment of the