GEOFFREY CHAUCER

(1328 OR 1340-1400).

PORTRAITS OF CHAUCER.

OCCLEVE, the friend and disciple of Chaucer, made, or caused to be made, several portraits of him, of which two remain. On these are founded the many likenesses now in circulation. In one of the original portraits the poet appears on horseback, and is represented as short of stature, according to the description of himself given in "The Canterbury Tales." The other was drawn by Occleve, on the margin of one of his own works, and is described by Ward: "In this portrait, in which the experienced eye of Sir Harris Nicolas sees incomparably the best portrait of Chaucer yet discovered,' he appears as an elderly rather than aged man, clad in dark gown and hood--the latter of the fashion so familiar to us from this very picture, and from the well-known one of Chaucer's last patron, King Henry IV. His attitude in this likeness is that of a quiet talker, with downcast eyes, but sufficiently erect bearing of body. One arm is extended, and seems to be gently pointing some observation which has just issued from the poet's lips. The other holds a rosary, which may be significant of the piety attributed to Chaucer by Occleve, or may be a mere ordinary accompaniment of conversation, as it is in parts of Greece to the present day. The features are mild, but expressive, with just a suspicion-certainly no more-of saturnine or sarcastic humor. The lips are full, and the nose is what is called good by the learned in such matters." By the side of the miniature Occleve wrote the following lines: