E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Chaucer, Geoffrey (b. about 1340; d. Westminster, 1400),
was author of the following works:—“The Canterbury Tales,” “The Court of Love,” “The Parlement of Birddes, or, the Assembly of Foules;” “The Boke of Cupid, God of Love; or, the Cuckow and the Nightingale;” “The Flower and the Leaf;” “Troylus and Cresseyde;” “Chaucer’s A, B, C;” “Chaucer’s Dream;” “The Boke of the Duchesse;” “Of Quene Anelyda and the False Arcite;” “The House of Fame;” “The Legende of Goode Women;” “The Romaunt of the Rose;” “The Complaynt of a Loveres Lyfe;” “The Complaynt of Mars and Venus;” “A Goodly Ballade of Chaucer,” and “A Praise of Women.” His minor poems are:—“The Compleynte of the Dethe of Pite,” “Ballade de Vilage Sauns Peynture,” “Ballade Sent to King Richard,” “The Compleynte of Chaucer to his Purse,” “Good Counseil of Chaucer,” “Prosperity,” “A Ballade,” “L’Envoy de Chaucer a Scogan;” “L’Envoy de Chaucer a Bulcton,” “Ætas Prima,” “Leaulté Vault Richesse;” “Proverbes de Chaucer,” “Roundel,” “Virelai,” “Chaucer’s Prophecy,” “Chaucer’s Wordes unto his own Scrivener,” and “Oratio Galfridi Chaucer.” These two lists, at any rate, represent the poems attributed to Chaucer by the earlier editors. Later critics deny his claim to such poems as “The Court of Love,” “The Flower and the Leaf,” and “Chaucer’s Dream.” Works of Chaucer were first printed in 1532, followed by editions in 1542, 1561 (Stowe), 1598 (Speght), 1721 (Urry), 1775 (Tyrwhitt), 1822 (Singer), 1845 (Sir H. Nicolas), and 1855 (Bell). Editions have been published by Professor Childs in America, by D. Morris in the “Aldine Poets,” and by Professor W. W. Skeat, etc. A Biography of the poet is given by his editors, and a “Life” has been written by Godwin. See also “Illustrations” by Todd (1810). “The Riches of Chaucer,” with a Memoir by Charles Cowden Clarke (1835), “Poems of Chaucer Modernised,” by Wordsworth, Leigh Hunt, Horne, Bell, and others, with “Life” by Schmitz (1841); “Tales from Chaucer in Prose;” “Chaucer’s England,” by Matthew Browne; the Memoir by Skeat, the publications of the Chaucer Society, passim, Warton’s “English Poetry;” Hazlitt’s “English Poets,” Campbell’s “English Poets;” Coleridge’s “Table Talk,” J. R. Lowell’s “My Study Windows,” Minto’s “English Poets,” Kissner’s “Essays on Chaucer;” Lindner’s “Essay on Chaucer’s Alliterations;” the “Dictionary of National Biography,” and Morley’s “English Writers,” vols. v. and vi.
