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No. 725.-17 April, 1858.-Enlarged Series, No. 3.

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SHORT ARTICLES.-Weathercock, 181. The Sea-Serpent Established, 208. The Poets at Dinner, 212. Chevalier Pettrick's Sculptures, 221. Deadening Walls and Ceilings, 234. Half-hours of Translation, 239. A Zulee-Kaffir Dictionary, 239.. ́

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THERE is variety enough this week, with one | taken place? Or did it come in different places notable exception. Several pages of poetry at the same time, like the rain which sometimes have been crowded out, much to our regret. falls over a whole continent at once? But they are always fresh.

Gower carries us back half a thousand years, to the infancy of the English language to the beginning of English poetry. What a contrast to the new War Manufactures of the Woolwich Arsenal! Much of what still stands in finance and currency, seems to have been suggested 170 years ago by William Paterson.

The Reviewers all speak well of Dr. Kane, and are sorry that they find occasion of so much fault with the style of his biography.

Dear Mary Lamb comes upon the stage again. Who does not remember the tearful walk of herself and brother to the Insane Asylum which she needed!

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The article on The Special Services in Westminster Abbey may remind us of what preceded them. Services had been held in Exeter Hall, by clergymen of the Church of England as well as others, and were attended by thronging multitudes. The continuous attraction, and unfailing attendance seemed to touch some sore point in the clergyman at whose "parish," and without whose permission," other clergy men were thus officiating, and he forbade them. Whereupon the Dean and Chapter opened Westminster Abbey for evening Service. Whether Christ was thus preached out of contention" or no, these additional evening services have been well attended, and to good effect. The services in Exeter Hall were at the same time continued by Dissenters-and some of these use the Liturgy, so as to supply, as nearly as they can, the constrained absence of the clergymen of the established church who had formerly officiated. Were not these well attended services the beginning of the " Great Awakening" which has

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It is an important point of this "Living Age" to record an impression that has fallen "without observation upon thousands, perhaps upon millions of men. It has come as silently as dew upon the grass. Blessed are our eyes which see it. Ordinary business and political newspapers, some of those even which have been thought unbelievers in Revelation, have daily and respectfully,-almost reverentially, chronicled large gatherings, in the midst of the places and hours of business, of persons who appear softened and solemnized by the thoughts of the Eternity before them; and who come together, not to hear eloquent preaching, but to listen, with bowed hearts, to the simplest words of exhortation and prayer. We shall no doubt find future articles on this subject, which will become historical.

Stockton, is publishing in parts, the New TestaOur kinsman and friend, the Rev. Thomas H. ment. The edition is noticed among the New Books. It is of very convenient size for the pocket, printed upon handsome paper and in large type; bound in flexible covers, and gilt leaves. The Acts of the Apostles, with an introduction by Horne, are comprised in one small volume-and we wish for the whole Bible in volumes of this quality and size. We are further indebted to him for the General Epistle of James, issued as a tract.

Of tracts from the same source he has issued a great variety, ranging from 141 pages down to 6; and from 8 cents "Suited to Sea and apiece, to 2 for a cent. Shore."

In the next number will appear the French views of the flurry with England, by the highest authority

NEW BOOKS.

ANDROMEDA, and other Poems. By Charles | A NEW ORCHARD AND GARDEN; or, the best
Kingsley. Ticknor & Fields: Boston.
ROBINSON'S SERMONS. Sermons preached at
Trinity Chapel, Brighton, by the late Rev.
Frederick W. Robertson, M. A. Second Se-
ries. From the Fourth London Edition.
Ticknor & Fields: Boston.

STOCKTON'S PERIODICAL NEW TESTAMENT. No. 5. Price 50 Cents, Post Free. Thomas H. Stockton: Philadelphia.

The Acts of the Apostles, the received version, in paragraph form. The verses are in the margin; the marginal readings at the foot of the page. There is an Index as a substitute for the usual head lines of the chapters and pages, and it is made very full and complete; an introduction, by Thomas Hartwell Horne, which will be found useful; and two attractive views in modern Jerusalem.

way for planting, grafting, and to make any ground good, for a rich orchard. Particularly in the North, and generally for the whole kingdom of England, as in nature, reason, situation, and all probability, may and doth appear. With the Country Housewife, Garden, etc., etc. Printed at London, by J. H., for Francis Williams, 1626. Reprinted by Robert Pearsall Smith. Philadelphia: 1858. Price, One Dollar.

Here we not only read, but there are pictures by which we can see, how to do garden work. Here we see how trees grew, both above and under ground, before they had received the enlightenment of the "nineteenth century." In one case the roots run as far as the cut will permit, and we are appealed to in the legend: Imagine the root to be spred farre wider."

"

From The British Quarterly Review. (1.) Confessio Amantis of John Gower. Edited and collated with the best MSS., by Dr. Reinhold Pauli. 3 vols. Bell

and Daldy. 1857. (2.) Poema quod dicitur" Vox Clamantis." Edited by the Rev. H. O. Coxe. 1850. (Roxburgh Club.)

(3.) Balades and other Poems. By John Gower. 1818. (Roxburgh Club.)

capriciously has literary fame dealt with this once far-renowned poet-"Angl. poeta. celeberrimus," as his laudatory epitaph once termed him; for while many writers have advanced but a single claim to immortality, and have had that claim allowed, Gower preferred a threefold claim, in French, in Latin, in English; but who, until as yesterday, knew aught of him or his works? And yet Gower, In the south aisle of St. Mary Overy's-a in his day, was a most popular writer, and church well worthy an especial pilgrimage, little did the grateful canons of St. Mary alike for its architectural beauty and its many Overy's think, when they reared that fair historical memories-is a noble canopied altar altar tomb, and so carefully inscribed the tomb, on which reposes the effigy of an aged titles of his three chief works on the volumes man with closed eyes and uplifted hands. that support the head, that the Speculum The collar of S.S., and the dependent swan, Meditantis, his French work, should be utprove the occupier of this tomb to have been terly lost; that the Vox Clamantis, his Latin of gentle birth, while the three volumes, work, should wait four hundred years after with their rhyming Latin titles, that instead the discovery of printing ere it was deemed of crested hemlet or broidered pillow sup- worthy of letter-press; and that the Conport the head, seem to indicate some connex- fessio Amantis, his English work-written ion with the literature of his day; but of the at the express command of one sovereign, original inscription nought remains, save that and dedicated to another-read and quoted touching supplication of the departing spirit, by all the fair and noble, honored by being ths. merci." which may still be read in the one of the few books of English verse printed quaint "chapelet" that binds the forehead. by Caxton, and again twice printed early in Some lingering remembrance of how munifi- the following century-should have sunk into cent a benefactor to the church he who sleeps such utter oblivion, that from the close of here had been, seems, however, to have sur- the sixteenth century to the days of Warton, vived the lapse of centuries, for previously to we doubt whether a single reference to that the late alterations, a slab, hard by, duly in- pleasant storehouse of tale and fable could formed the reader that in 1764 the church-be found. Great indeed was the popularity wardens (name and surname at full length, of Gower during the fifteenth and the earlier that parochial species of immortality) "re- portion of the sixteenth century-perhaps paired and beautified," in true churchwarden even surpassing that of Chaucer-and only style, this venerable monument. Still, who amid the brighter glories of the age of Elizathe John Gower was, who four hundred and beth did the fame of John Gower become fifty years ago was there laid to rest, few in- dim. And dim, even to extinguishment, had deed among the crowds who for so many it become, when Warton, to whom the lover generations glanced a careless look at the of early English poetry owes no common suppliant effigy as they passed along knew, debt, introduced the poet and his English or cared to know. Not thus carelessly will work, almost as though it were a newly-disthe lover of early English poetry, the student covered manuscript; and then George Ellis, who delights to trace the progress of our among his pleasant specimens of early Eng"faire language," pass by, for to them that lish poetry, gave a general outline of the altar tomb is a venerable shrine beside which poem, and several illustrative extracts. Thus they will reverently linger, for there sleeps partially resuscitated, our venerable poet the friend of Chaucer, the poet, in his age awakened some attention, and when Chalsecond only to him in fame, "the moral mers, in 1810, edited his British Poets, John Gower," he who first told so many an an- Gower headed the series. Meanwhile, an old cient tale, untold till then to English ears, French manuscript, which had been in posthe poet who first taught our noble birth- session of the Marquis of Stafford's family tongue to assert, even within the King's for many generations was found to contain court, its rightful supremacy. fifty "balades " composed by Gower, and Very capricious is literary fame, and very under the belief that he belonged to the

family-a belief now proved by the unques- | Gower did not study with a view to the legal tionable testimony of the poet's arms to be profession, nor was at any time a lawyer, is, unfounded-Earl Gower, some forty years ago, printed them for the "Roxburgh Club," in their fac-simile black-letter. In 1850 Gower's Latin work, Vox Clamantis, was printed for the same club, under the able supervision of the Rev. Mr. Coxe, of the Bodleian, and now his English, and most important work, the Confessio Amantis, which had been very inaccurately printed in " Chalmers," comes out, ably, and most carefully edited by Dr. Pauli, and in a style of typography which, we think, must gratify the most enthusiastic admirer of the venerable old poet. Thus, Gower again appears before us, and, singularly enough, although his larger French work is considered to be lost, he still prefers his threefold claim, as a writer of French, and Latin, and English

verse.

however, certain, for the name is not to be found in any roll of any law-court during all the latter half of the fourteenth century, while the bitterness, even virulence, with which he denounces all members of the legal profession in his Vox Clamantis, farther disproves the belief that he ever was one of their number. Taking the date of Gower's birth between 1330-40 (the most probable date, since in 1392-3 he represents himself with "locke's hore," and, in 1398, as a feeble old man), we shall find him a gay and courtly esquire, possessed of ample property, "disporting" himself, most probably, at the brilliant court of Edward III., during its greatest brilliancy, exulting in the victories of Cressy and Poictiers, holding right pleasant discourse with Sir Walter Manny on lady-love and chivalry, listening to Froissart's choicest "carolles " for Froissart sang many a virelay and triolet ere he set himself in good earnest to compile his delightful Chronicles— and, perhaps, in emulation of that admired Fleming, composing those pleasant "balades" which have been so happily preserved to us. Whether Gower ever actually bore arms, and, like his friend Chaucer, witnessed the real strife of the battle-field in France, as well as the mimic strife of joust and tournament, cannot be ascertained; but, from the lofty views he entertained of the knightly character, and the high place he always assigns to prowess, we should think it not unlikely that armiger, in his case, indicated its true meaning.

It is very pleasant to be able to trace somewhat of a writer's history, especially if, as in the case before us, he lived in times which have left their impress on succeeding generations, and took part, perhaps, in events which have now become historical; but, unfortunately, very little can be ascertained respecting John Gower, or his family. The careful research of the late Sir Harris Nicolas -to whom we owe so many valuable notices of Chaucer-has supplied us with all the direct information which can be obtained from legal documents, and this amounts to little more than that he was of a Suffolk or Kentish family, of gentle birth, and most probably born between 1330-40. Where he received his first education is, as well as the Although, as we shall find from his works, place of his birth, unknown; and whether Gower was well acquainted-we should think as an ancient tradition has recorded, he went personally acquainted-both with Thomas of to Oxford, and there became acquainted with Woodstock, afterwards Duke of Gloucester, Chaucer, is very uncertain. This tradition, and with Henry of Lancaster, there is no which dates as far back as the reign of Eliza-proof that he was, like many other young beth, is, we think, although unsupported by men of landed property, a retainer in the direct testimony, very likely to have been household either of Thomas of Woodstock correct; for it is difficult indeed to imagine or John of Gaunt. Much later, it seems where Gower could have gained his certainly very probable that he took service in that of extensive learning, save at a university. The Henry of Lancaster, then Earl of Derby, as same tradition represents him subsequently in one of the rolls of the Duchy of Lancasas studying with his friend Chaucer in the ter (17th Richard, 1393-4) is the entry of a Inner Temple; and this too may have been collar being presented to "un esquier, John the case, since we have continual instances, Gower," probably that collar of S.S. which even down to the Restoration, of young he is represented as wearing on his tomb. country gentlemen being sent from the uni- During the reign of Edward III., however, versity to one of the Inns of Court. That our notices of him are very scanty. In 1368,

Som new thing I shoulde boke,
That he himselfe might it loke."

we find the manor of Kentwell, in Suffolk, | ble to believe that a work, which fills three was granted to him; and there is another octavo volumes of nearly four hundred pages document, dated in 1373, relating to the of letterpress each, could have been entirely same. In the first year of Richard II., we written even within two or three years; we meet with a very interesting record which therefore agree with the present editor, that proves the close friendship subsisting between the Confessio Amantis was begun fully as our two early poets; this is a deed, executed early as 1386, although we should be inby Chaucer in May, 1378, appointing John clined to assign it a still earlier date. It is Gower and Richard Forrester his attorneys curious, that while so little can be ascertained during his absence from England. Chaucer as to the author, we should have so minute had, the year before, been sent on a secret an account of the circumstances which led to mission to Flanders by the late King; on the composition of this work, how— this occasion he was sent to Lombardy "Under the towne of New Troye,-a proof that he still continued in equal In Temse when it was flowende, favor with the advisers of the young King, As I in a bote came rowende, So as fortune her tyme sette and a proof, we think, that Gower was in My liege lord parchaunce I mette. some way connected with the Court, and And so befell when I came neigh resided in London. At the time of the in- Out of my bote whan he me seigh He bade me come into his barge."surrection of Wat Tyler, he seems to have been in London; and, at the close of the And then, after conversing on other things, same year, there is an entry in the Close Rolls "this charge upon me leyde "of a grant of the manors of Feltham in Nor- "That to his high worthinesse folk, and Multon in Suffolk. Gower was therefore possessed of at least three manors, and must have been a person of some consideration. It may be remarked that in this document he is described as "John Gower of Kent." Soon after, his Vox Clamantis, was certainly begun, for in it he laments over the unsettled state of the kingdom under the rule of a youthful monarch; and in the last book, which is almost entirely addressed to the King, he characterizes him as tener annorum. From the familiar manner in which he addresses his counsels to the youthful King, it seems evident to us that he was personally acquainted with him; and the authoritative tone of the whole work seems to indicate almost an independent standing. That the work met with a very favorable reception, is proved by the numerous copies extant-several of them expensively executed; and the title "moral Gower," which Chaucer in the envoye of his Troilus and Cresseid gives him, we think has unquestionable reference to this work.

The composition on which Gower's fame must chiefly rest-his Confessio Amantishas mostly been assigned to as late a period as 1392-3; and even that careful antiquary, Sir Harris Nicolas gives this date; but we fully agree with Dr. Pauli, that, although 1392-3 (the 16th Richard II.) might be the date of its conclusion, it was begun many years before. It is, indeed, utterly impossi

In the "some newe thing," we think there is reference to the Vox Clamantis, and that the King wished, likely enough, a more pleasant poem-one which, if it did deal in

moralizations, should also afford some entertainment. And we think this was the main

intention of the writer, for, as he remarks in
his prologue, that inasmuch as "al of wis-
dome

"Dulleth oft a manne's wit.-
I wolde go the middel way,

And write a boke between the twey, Somewhat of lyste, somewhat of lore." And well has he succeeded; for the Confessio Amantis is neither, as its name might imply, a long series of Anacreontics, nor a wearisome allegorical poem, in which Love and his attendants speechify after the extravagant style of the troubadours, but a pleasant collection of tales and fables, each told to illustrate some virtue, or to warn against some vice. But in a more important sense might the words "some new thing" be taken. It was indeed a new thing," for the poem written at the express command of the King, to come forth, not in Latin elegiacs, like the earlier work, not in the language of the court-that language in which Froissart wrote, in which Gower had already won fame, in which the touching epitaph upon Richard's own father, inscribed "that all might see and read it," on his tomb in Canterbury Cathe

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