THE reputation of Chaucer, the reformer of the English language, and the father of English poetry, may, without presumption, be thought to justify the Proprietor in presenting the Public with a work designed to bring together, in one point of view, and to represent, in their true forms, living features, and adventitious appendages, all the characters of the Canterbury Tales.

In

In justice to such a subject, the painter ought to possess all the powers of description and embellishment; all the satire, the genuine humour, the knowledge of life and manners, for each of which the original is so eminently distinguished. "We see," to adopt the expressive language of Dryden, "all the Pilgrims, their humours, their features, and their very dress, as distinctly as if we had supped with them at the Tabard, in Southwark."-In another passage of the preface to the Fables, he says,-" He must have been a man of most wonderful comprehensive nature, because, as it has been truly observed of him, he has taken into the compass of his Canterbury Tales, the various manners and humours of the whole English nation, in his age. All his Pilgrims are severally distinguished from each other, not only in their inclinations, but in their very physiognomies and persons. The matter and manner of their Tales, and their telling, are so suited to their different educations, humours, and callings, that each of them would be improper in any other mouth. Even the grave and serious characters are distinguished by their several sorts of gravity: their discourses are such as belong to their age, their calling, and their breeding; such as are becoming of them, and them only. The Reve, the Miller, and the Cook, are several men, and distinguished from each other, as much as the mincing Lady Prioress, and the broadspeaking Wife of Bath."

The scheme of this Work is in every respect very extraordinary, as will best appear from a short representation of the Author's design, as explained by Mr. Tyrwhitt, in his preface. "Chaucer pretends, that intending to pay his devotions at the shrine of Thomas à Becket, he set up his horse at the Tabard Inn, in Southwark; that he found at the Inn a number of Pilgrims, who severally proposed the same journey; and that they all agreed to sup together, and to set out the next morning on the same party. The supper being finished, the landlord, a fellow of sense and drollery, conformably to his character and calling, makes them no disagreeable proposal, that, to divert them on their journey, each of them should be obliged to tell two stories, one going, the other coming back; and that whoever, in the judgment of the company, should succeed best in this art of Tale-telling, by way of recompence, at their return to his Inn, should be entitled to a good supper at the common cost; which proposal assented to, he promises to be their governor and guide."

The Scene of the Picture is laid in that part of the road to Canterbury which commands a view of the Dulwich Hills-the Time-a beautiful and serene May morning. The Pilgrims are grouped with a decorum suited to their

respective characters, and in the order in which we may
suppose Chaucer himself to have seen them, headed by the
Miller playing upon his pipe, under the guidance of Harry
Baillie, the Host; who, as Master of the Ceremonies, is repre-
sented on horseback, standing in his stirrups, in the act of
commanding attention to the proposal he is about to make,
of drawing lots to determine which of the company shall
tell the first Tale. Near to him is a line of five characters
-the Knight; his Son, the Young Squire; the Franklin, or
Country Gentleman; the Serjeant at Law, the Merchant, and
the Doctor of Physic. The Squire is mounted on a White
Horse near the Knight, and betwixt these two figures is seen
the Reve. Close behind the Squire his Yeoman advances,
habited in green.
The front of the next Group is also
composed of five characters-The Lady Abbess; her Nun;
the Nun's Priest; the Good Parson; and his Brother, the
Ploughman. The figures immediately behind the Lady Abbess
are, the Shipman; the Oxford Scholar; the Manciple, and
Chaucer.* Next, mounted upon an ambling Nag, approaches
the Wife of Bath, heading a group of four figures:-She is
represented in brisk conversation with the Monk and the
Friar; behind them are the Pardoner, dressed in blue, and
his friend the Sompnour, in white.

The last group of this motley Cavalcade is composed of the
Goldsmith, the Weaver, the Haberdasher, the Dyer, and the
Tapestry Merchant, all citizens of London, attended by their
Cook: with these jolly Pilgrims the Procession closes.

It will be necessary to assure the Public, that the Artist has not allowed himself a capricious licence in his treatment of the Dresses. So far from it, they have been adopted with the nicest fidelity from the best authorities; from the British Museum, and other Public Depositories of rare MSS.; from Monumental Remains; from the authority of Chaucer himself; and from ancient Illuminated Manuscripts, painted in his time.

The Proprietor of this undertaking finds it difficult to express his own and the general sense of Mr. Stothard's qualifications, without violating that admirable Artist's known reserve and modesty of nature. He cannot, however, resist the gratification of transcribing a letter which appeared in the periodical paper called "The Artist," addressed to Richard Cumberland, Esq. the celebrated Dramatic Writer, by Mr. Hoppner, a gentleman who is himself of the first eminence in his professional capacity of an Historical and Portrait painter.

The Portrait of Chaucer is painted from that in the British Museum, done by Thomas Occleve, who lived in his time, and was his scholar.

May 30, 1807.

DEAR SIR, You desire me to give you some account of the Procession of Chaucer's Pilgrims, painted by Stothard, and the tusk is a pleasant one; for the praise called forth by the merits of a living artist, from a rival in the pursuit of fame, is, I feel, like mercy, twice blessed

"It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes."

The Painter has chosen that moment for his Picture when the Pilgrims may be supposed to have disengaged themselves from the multitude that bustle in the environs of a great metropolis, and are collected together by Harry Baillie, their guide and host. The scene is therefore laid in that part of their road from London that commands a view of the Dulwich hills, where, it may be supposed, the Host could, without fear of interruption, proclaim his proposal of drawing lots, to determine who should tell the first tale. He is represented standing in his stirrups, and appears to exult in the plan he has formed for their mutual entertainment. You see the group gently pacing forward-all are in motion,-yet too well satisfied with each other to be eager for their journey's and. The features of each individual are touched with the most happy discrimination of character, and prove the painter to have studied the human heart with as much attention, and not less successfully, than the Poet.

The

This intelligent group is rendered still more interesting by the charm of colouring, which, though simple, is strong, and most harmoniously distributed throughout the picture. landscape has a deep-toned brightness, that accords most admirably with the figures; and the painter has ingeniously contrived to give a value to a common scene and very ordinary forms, that would hardly be found, by unlearned eyes, in the natural objects. He has expressed too, with great vivacity and truth, the freshness of morning, at that season, when nature herself is most fresh and blooming-the Spring; and it requires no great stretch of fancy to imagine we perceive the influence of it on the cheeks of the Fair Wife of Bath, and her rosy companions, the Monk and Friar.

In respect of the execution of the various parts of this pleasing design, it is not too much praise to say, that it is wholly free from that vice which the painters term manner; and it has this peculiarity beside, which I do not remember to have seen in any picture ancient or modern, that it bears no mark of the period in which it was painted, but might very well pass for the work of some able artist of the time of Chaucer. This effect is not, I believe, the result of any association of ideas connected with the costume, but appears in a primitive simplicity,

and the total absence of all affectation, either of colour or pencilling.

Having attempted to describe a few of the beauties of this captivating performance, it remains only for me to mention one great defect-The picture is, notwithstanding appearances, a modern one. But if you can divest yourself of the general prejudice that exists against contemporary talents, you will see a work that would have done honour to any school, at any period.

I am, Dear Sir, &c.

TO RICHARD CUMBERLAND, Esq.

JOHN HOPPNER.

CONDITIONS OF SUBSCRIPTION.

The Picture is 3 Feet 1 Inch long, and 10 Inches high. The Print will be executed exactly of the same size. The price of the Prints will be Three Guineas, Proof Impressions, Five Guineas. Gentlemen who wish to possess this Engraving, are requested to forward their address to Mr. Cromek, No. 64, Newman Street, London; and as the number of Proof Impressions will be limited, an early application is indispensable.

The Subscribers to this Print will be presented with an engraved Portrait of Mr. Stothard, executed by Mr. Schiavonetti, in the same excellent style as the subject itself, from a capital original Picture, painted by John Hoppner, Esq. R. A. and by that gentleman obligingly contributed for this purpose.