Playful Poems | Page 2

Franklin's, and wrote an Introduction of more than a
hundred pages, to which Professor Leonhard Schmitz added thirty-two
pages of a Life of Chaucer. Robert Bell, to whom we were afterwards
indebted for an "Annotated Edition of the English Poets," modernised
the Complaint of Mars and Venus. Thomas Powell, the editor,
contributed his version of the Legends of Ariadne, Philomene, and
Phillis, and of "The Flower and the Leaf," and a friend, who signed
only as Z. A. Z, dealt with "The Rime of Sir Thopas."
After the volume had appeared, Wordsworth thus wrote of it to
Professor Henry Reed of Philadelphia: "There has recently been
published in London a volume of some of Chaucer's tales and poems
modernised; this little specimen originated in what I attempted with
'The Prioress' Tale,' and if the book should find its way to America you
will see in it two further specimens from myself. I had no further

connection with the publication than by making a present of these to
one of the contributors. Let me, however, recommend to your notice
the Prologue and the Franklin's Tale. They are both by Mr. Horne, a
gentleman unknown to me, but are--the latter in particular--very well
done. Mr. Leigh Hunt has not failed in the Manciple's Tale, which I
myself modernised many years ago; but though I much admire the
genius of Chaucer as displayed in this performance, I could not place
my version at the disposal of the editor, as I deemed the subject
somewhat too indelicate for pure taste to be offered to the world at this
time of day. Mr. Horne has much hurt this publication by not abstaining
from the Reve's Tale. This, after making all allowance for the rude
manners of Chaucer's age, is intolerable; and by indispensably
softening down the incidents, he has killed the spirit of that humour,
gross and farcical, that pervades the original. When the work was first
mentioned to me, I protested as strongly as possible against admitting
any coarseness and indelicacy, so that my conscience is clear of
countenancing aught of that kind. So great is my
admiration of
Chaucer's genius, and so profound my reverence for him. . . for
spreading the light of Literature through his native land, that,
notwithstanding the defects and faults in this
publication, I am glad of
it, as a means for making many acquainted with the original, who
would otherwise be ignorant of everything about him but his name."
Wordsworth's objection to the Manciple's Tale from Ovid's

Metamorphoses was an afterthought. He had begun by offering his
version of it for publication in this volume. His objection to Horne's
treatment of the Reve's Tale was reasonable enough. The original tale
was the sixth novel in the ninth day of the Decameron, and probably
was taken by Chaucer from a Fabliau by Jean de Boves, "De Gombert
et des Deux Clercs." The same story has been imitated in the "Cent
Nouvelles Nouvelles," and in the "Berceau" of La Fontaine. Horne's
removal from the tale of everything that would offend a modern reader
was designed to enable thousands to find pleasure in an old farcical
piece that would otherwise be left unread.
Chaucer's "Rime of Sir Thopas" was a playful jest on the long-winded
story-telling of the old romances, and had specially in mind Thomas

Chestre's version of Launfal from Marie of France, and the same
rhymer's romance of "Ly Beaus Disconus," who was Gingelein, a son
of Gawain, called by his mother, for his beauty, only Beaufis
(handsome son); but when he offered himself in that name to be
knighted by King Arthur, he was knighted and named by him Li Beaus
Disconus (the fair unknown). This is the method of the tediousness, in
which it showed itself akin to many a rhyming tale.
"And for love of his fair vis
His mother cleped him Beaufis,
And
none other name;
And himselve was full nis,
He ne axed nought
y-wis
What he hight at his dame.
"As it befel upon a day,
To wood he went on his play
Of deer to
have his game;
He found a knight, where he lay
In armes that were
stout and gay,
Y-slain and made full tame.
"That child did off the knightes wede,
And anon he gan him schrede

In that rich armour.
When he hadde do that dede,
To Glastenbury
he gede,
There lay the King Arthour.
"He knelde in the hall
Before the knightes all,
And grette hem with
honour,
And said: 'Arthour, my lord,
Grant me to speak a word,
I
pray thee, par amour.
"'I am a child uncouth,
And come out of the south,
And would be
made a knight,
Lord, I pray thee nouthe,
With thy merry mouthe,

Grant me anon right.'
"Then said Arthour the king,
'Anon, without dwelling,
Tell me thy
name aplight!
For sethen I was ybore,
Ne found I me before
None
so fair of sight.'
"That child said, 'By Saint Jame,
I not what is