discourse has come down to us in a mutilated form. This MAY be due to the
"Tale" having remained unfinished at the time of Chaucer's death: in which
case it would form last words of no unfitting kind. As for the actual
last words of the "Canterbury Tales"--the so-called "Prayer of Chaucer"--
it would be unbearable to have to accept them as genuine. For in these
the poet, while praying for the forgiveness of sins, is made specially to
entreat the Divine pardon for his "translations and inditing in worldly
vanities," which he "revokes in his retractions." These include, besides
the Book of the Leo (doubtless a translation or adaptation from Machault)
and many other books which the writer forgets, and "many a song and many a
lecherous lay," all the principal poetical works of Chaucer (with the
exception of the "Romaunt of the Rose") discussed in this essay. On the
other hand, he offers thanks for having had the grace given him to compose
his translation of Boethius and other moral and devotional works. There
is, to be sure, no actual evidence to decide in either way the question as
to the genuineness of this "Prayer," which is entirely one of internal
probability. Those who will may believe that the monks, who were the
landlords of Chaucer's house at Westminster, had in one way or the other
obtained a controlling influence over his mind. Stranger things than this
have happened; but one prefers to believe that the poet of the "Canterbury
Tales" remained master of himself to the last. He had written much which
a dying man might regret; but it would be sad to have to think that,
"because of humility," he bore false witness at the last against an
immortal part of himself--his poetic genius.


CHAPTER 3. CHARACTERISTICS OF CHAUCER AND OF HIS POETRY.

Thus, then, Chaucer had passed away;--whether in good or in evil odour
with the powerful interest with which John of Gaunt's son had entered into