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or the History of Beryn:" the " author of which," says Ritson, "be he whom he might, was certainly a writer of uncommon merit."

91. Chaucer (Geoffrey).—The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer. To which are added, an Essay upon his Language and Versification; an Introductory Discourse; Notes, and a Glossary.—Russia. London, 177-5-8.

Five vols. octavo. . . £6. 16s. 6d.

92. Another set of the same

edition, with proof prints from Bell's edition, and portraits of Chaucer and Tyrwhitt.—MoRocco.London, 1775-8.

Jive vols. octavo. . . . ,£'8. 8s.

The present is the celebrated edition, edited by the learned and industrious Mr. Tynvhitt, in which he has settled the text by an indefatigable collation of all the printed and manuscript copies.

93. The Canterbury Tales of

Chaucer. To which are added an Essay on his
Language and Versification, and an Introductory
Discourse, together with Notes and a Glossary
by the late Thomas Tyrwhitt. (Portrait.)—
Boards.Oxford, 1798.

Two vols. quarto. . . . <£2. 1O*.

94. The Canterbury Tales of

Chaucer, Modernis'd by several hands. Publish'd by Mr. Ogle.—Neat.London., printed for J. and R. Tonson, 1741.

Three vols. octavo. . £l. l\s. 6d.

95. Another set, with a portrait of Chaucer.—Calf Extra.London, 1741. Three vols. octavo. . . . «£2. 6s.

96. The assemble of foules.

Here foloweth the assemble of foules veray pleasaunt and compendyous to rede or here compyled by the preclared and famous clerke Geffray Chaucer.—Ulack Hctttt.—Calf Extra.Imprynted in london in Flete strete at the sygne of the Sonne agaynste the condyte, by me Wynkyn dt Worde, The xjrlm. day of January, in the yere of our lorde, 1,530.

Quarto, pp. 28 ,£50.

The words "Tlie assemble of Foules," are on a ribbon, or scroll, under which is the remaining part of the title in three lines. The principal part of the title-page is occupied by a wood cut engraving, in which is represented a student sitting in a musing attitude. An antique reading desk, an ink-stand, and several books ,in various parts of the room, serve to give some idea of its occupier's attachment to literature. After the title follows an address entitled "Roberte Coplande boke prynter to new fanglers," and the colophon is preceded by three seven line stanzas, called "Lenuoy of R. Coplande boke prynter."—The present volume, which is An Undoubted uNiauE, was described in the year 1/86, by Dr. Billam of Leeds, in a letter to Mr. Herbert, the editor of Ames. A copy of the original letter is preserved in Dibdin's new edition of Ames, vol. 2, p. 278.

There is something so eminently beautiful, as well as just, in the following passage by that elegant critic, Thomas Warton, that to apologize for its insertion in a catalogue devoted to the poetical effusions of British genius would surely be superfluous.

"I consider Chaucer as a genial day in an English spring. A brilliant sun enlivens the face of nature with an unusual lustre: the sudden appearance of cloudless skies, and the unexpected warmth of a tepid atmosphere, after the gloom and the inclemencies of a tedious winter, fill our hearts with the visionary prospect of a speedy summer: and we fondly anticipate a long continuance of gentle gales and vernal serenity. But winter returns with redoubled horrors: the clouds condense more formidably than before; and those tender buds, and early blossoms, which were called forth by .the .transient gleam of a temporary sun-shine, are nipped by frosts, and torn by tempests.

"Most of the poets that immediately succeeded Chaucer seem rather relapsing into barbarism, than availing themselves of those striking ornaments which his judgment and imagination had disclosed. They appear to have been insensible to his vigour of versification, and his flights of fancy. It was not indeed likely that a poet should soon arise equal to Chaucer: and it must be remembered, that the national distractions which ensued had no small share in obstructing the exercise of those studies which delight in peace and repose. His successors, however, approach him jn Pq degree of proportion."

97. Chapman (George).—2xi«vux1oj. The Shadow of Night: containing two Poeticall Hymnes. Deuised by G. C. Gent.—Morocco.At London, printed by R. F.for William Ponsonby, 1594.

Quarto, pp. 40 <£*5.

Dedicated " To my deare and most worthy Friend Master Mathew Roydon," who was the author of the first poem in the "Phoenix Nest," which is ascertained by a passage in Robert Greene's "Arcadia."—Davies of Hereford in his "Scourge of Folly," thus speaks of him in his Epigrams to Worthy Persons, p. 201.

To the right well deserving Mr. Mathevj Royden.

Matheai, thou hast tane Custome (now) so long
Of Artet abstruse, that I do inly long
To call thee lowdly to attend on Grace,
That leads to Glory those that Arte do grace.
Thou had'st a Muse as potent in her pow'r,
As those in which the Heu'ns all graces powre.
Then, as my Rimes equiuocally meete,
So, doubleyame, for thy like Arte, is meete.

98. Quids Banquet of Sence.

A Coronet for his Mistresse Philosophic, and his amorous Zodiacke. With a translation of a Latine coppie, written by a Fryer, Anno Dom. 14OO. (By George Chapman.)—Morocco.At London, printed by I. R, for Richard Smith, 1598.

Quarto, pp. 68 £25.

Dedicated, like the preceding article, to Mathew Royden; then follow commendatory Verses by Richard Stapleton, Tho: Williams, and I. D. of the Middle Temple. The poem which is stated in the title to be " a translation of a Latine coppie," is entitled " The amorous contention of Phillis and Flora."—Chapman, according to Ritson, was mistaken both as to the author, and the age of the original, which was probably written by Walter de Mapes, and certainly in, or before the thirteenth century; a much purer copy than he appears to have made use of being extant in a MS. of that age, in, the Harleian library.

99. An Epicede or Funerall

Song: On the most disastrous Death, of the High-borne Prince of Men, Henry Prince of Wales, &c. With the Funeralls and Representation of the Hearse of the High and mighty Prince; Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornewaile and Rothsay, Count Palatine of Chester, Earle of Carick, and late Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter. Which Noble Prince deceased at St. James, the sixt day of Nouember, 1612, and was most Princely interred the seuenth day of December following, within the Abbey of Westminster, in the Eighteenth yeere of his Age. (By George Chapman).—Morocco.London, printed by T. S.for lohn Budge, 1612.

Quarto, pp. 32 <£lO.

Dedicated " To my Affectionate, and Trve Friend, Mr. Henry

Jones."—The present copy has not the representation of the Hearse,

which is mentioned in the title.

100. Chapman (George).—TheGeorgicks of Hesiod, By George Chapman; translated elaborately out of the Greek: Containing Doctrine of Husbandrie, Moralitie, and Pietie; with a perpetuall Calendar of Good and Bad Dales; Not superstitious, but necessarie (as farre as naturall Causes compel!,) for all Men to obserue, and difference in following their affaires.—London, printed by H. L.Jbr Miles Partrich, 1618.

Quarto, pp. 48. . . . *€l2. 12*.

Dedicated "to the most noble combiner of Learning and Honovr: Sr. Francis Bacon, Knight; Lord High Chancellor of England, &c." then follow commendatory verses by Michael Drayton and Ben. Jonson. Warton says that it was supposed that Chapman had translated Hesiod, but treats it as a mere " notion," and says he believes it arose from some lines of Drayton containing a general and a very honourable commendation of Chapman's skill as a translator. He then proceeds: "I believe Chapman only translated about fourteen lines from the beginning of the second book of Ilesiod's Works and Days, which are inserted in his commentary on the thirteenth Iliad for an occasional illustration. Here is a proof on what slight grounds assertions of this sort are often founded, and, for want of examination, transmitted to posterity."—Though Warton, after writing the above, discovered that this very edition was licensed, May 14, 1618, he still doubted if the book had been printed.—The inference he draws is therefore peculiarly applicable to himself, for he certainly denies the existence of this book, in his own phrase, upon very "slight grounds."

3O1. Chapman (George).—The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. Neuer before in any languag truely translated. With a Coment vppon some of his chiefe places; Donne according to the Greeke by Geo: Chapman. (Fine frontispiece, with figures of Achilles and Hector, by William Hole.)—At London, printedfor Nathaniell Butter* (no date, but circa, 1611).

Folio, pp. 372 £3. 3s.

Dedicated in verse " to the High Borne Prince of Men, Henrie thrice Royall inheritor to the vnited kingdoms of Great Brittaine," &c. then follows " An Anagram of the name of ovr drad Prince, my most gracious and sacred Maecenas; Henrye Prince of Wales ovr Sunn, Heyr, Peace, Life;" and a sonnet addressed " To the sacred Fovntaine of Princes; Sole Empresse of Beavtie and Vertve; Anne, Queene of England," &c. after which a poetical address to the reader, and a prose preface. The volume concludes with sixteen sonnets by Chapman to the principal nobility his patrons, viz. the Duke of Lennox, the Lord Chancellor (Lord Ellesmere), the Earl of Salisbury, the Earl of Suffolk, the Earl of Northampton, the Earl of Arundel, the Earl of Pembroke, the Karl of Montgomery, the Lord Lisle, the Countess of Montgomery, the Lady Wroth (who wrote a Romance called " Urania," in imitation of Sir Philip Sydney's "Arcadia"), the Countess of Bedford, the Earl of Southampton (Shakspeare's patron), the Earl of Sussex, the Lord of Walden, and Sir Thomas Howard.

Although there is no date to this volume, it may be inferred that it was published in, or near 1611, as Prince Henry, to whom it is dedicated, died in the following year, vide a previous article, Chapman's " Epicede"

102. Churchyard (Thomas).—A Mvsicall consort of Heauenly harmonie (compounded out of manie parts of Musicke), called Chvrchyards Charitie. —Morocco.Imprinted at London, by Ar. Hatfield, for William Holme, 1595.

Quarto, pp. 56 <£4O.

Dedicated " To the Right Honorable Robert Deverevx Earle

of Essex j" after which two metrical addresses, one "to the

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