epic poems and that inexhaustible treasure-house of stories which Petrarch
praised for its pious and grave contents, albeit they were mingled with
others of undeniable jocoseness--the immortal "Decamerone." He could
examine the refined gold of Petrarch's own verse with its exquisite
variations of its favourite pure theme and its adequate treatment of other
elevated subjects; and he might gaze down the long vista of pictured
reminiscences, grand and sombre, called up by the mightiest Muse of the
Middle Ages, the Muse of Dante. Chaucer's genius, it may said at once was
not TRANSFORMED by its contact with Italian literature; for a conscious
desire as well as a conscientious effort is needed for bringing about such
a transformation; and to compare the results of his first Italian journey
with those of Goethe's pilgrimage across the Alps, for instance, would be
palpably absurd. It might even be doubted whether for the themes which he
was afterwards likely to choose, and actually did choose, for poetic
treatment the materials at his command in French (and English) poetry and
prose would not have sufficed him. As it was, it seems probable that he
took many things from Italian literature; it is certain that he learnt
much from it. There seems every reason to conclude that the influence of
Italian study upon Chaucer made him more assiduous as well as more careful
in the employment of his poetic powers--more hopeful at once, if one may
so say, and more assured of himself.

Meanwhile, soon after his return from his second foreign mission, he was
enabled to begin a more settled life at home. He had acquitted himself to
the satisfaction of the Crown, as is shown by the grant for life of a
daily pitcher of wine, made to him on April 23rd, 1374, the merry day of
the Feast of St. George. It would of course be a mistake to conclude,
from any seeming analogies of later times, that this grant, which was
received by Chaucer in money-value, and which seems finally to have been
commuted for an annual payment of twenty marks, betokened on the part of