The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-04
DIR. CONES LECTURE.

DR.. Coke delivered on Thursday evening last, at
the Monument Assembly rooms corner of st. Paul
and Centre streets the fourth lecture of his course
The subject was Chaucer an9 his Times. II
He spoke Ofthe great similarity of some Of the
Flemish words to those of our own language, and
said that this element gave much beauty and sweet
ness to it. Chaucer had been charged by some per
with having done the language much injury,
but this not his opinion. On the contrary he
looked upon him as one of the first of those great
minds which gave force and character to the Eng
lish tongue. He spoke of Gros-Tete great
prelate and author and as poet Of the school
with Chaucer. He also spoke of Robert Manning
as being one of the sweetest poets and read his
little song of Cuckoo" He then remarked that
God raised too-master minds to show the strength
and beauty ofthe old English Language These
were Chaucer in poetry and Wickliile in prose.
Spenser calls Chaucer the "English well ofpure wa
ter" He next referred to Wicklc's exertions in N
the course of freedom and religion.
Wickiff born in 1884, and Chaucer four
years later. They contemporaries of John of
Gaunt. Chaucer was Influenced to a great extent
in his religious opinions BY Wickliffe and at an
early period Of his life had serious designs of enter
ing the ministry. Chaucer was a man of genius
and would have been great in any language but
was peculiarly adapted to reach eminence in the old
English tongue. He spoke of the quiet vein of hu-
that prevaded all his works, never calling forth
burst of laughter, but continually wreathing the
particular to those of Washington Irving. He next
called attention to his fine descriptive powers. and
cited the Canterbury Tales as illustrative of this
particular power His delineatons of character,
from the most delicate and sensitive to the brOadcst
and most ludcrous, were perfect and complete. He,
the lecturer, could not how people who had any
brains, could spend hours in listening to what only
pleased the ear, when they could have such
exquisite entertainments in reading Chaucer and
other old English authors. 1t appeared to him an
evidence of weakness. The lecturer next referred
to his emotions when he first beheld in England,
near London the old inn at which Chaucer and the
pilgrims stopped when on their way to Canterbury.
There a little sign hanging from the house. on
which was painted the words "Ths is the inn at
which Sir Geoffrey Chaucer and the pilgrims stop
ped on their way to Canterbury" This pilgrimage
was performed in compliance with vows made to
do honor to the great prelate Thomas ABeckett,
and his tomb the shrine to which they trav-
elled. The pencil of Stoddard had admirably rep
resented canvass the characters Of the pilgrims
The lecturer here brought forward an engraving
of the picture, and placing it the stand pointed
out the different personages, and as he did So he
read Chaucers description of them. The Prior
cSs received beautiful tribute and while he would
not propose her as apattern of womanly excellence
he thought that taking into consideration the age
in which these characters existed she was really a
pattern OF much virtue, gentleness, and refinement.
lie next spoke of the Wife Of Bath and called at
tentOn to the position she occupied on the engra-
wing, and the manner in which she sat upon her
horse riding the males did, and not as the Pri
oress,- booted and spurred, and as masculine look
ing any of the males. She was a perfect type of
the Merry Wives of Windsor. This character was
admirably drawn by Chaucer, and gave a definite
idea of the females of that day, who were
always ready for fun and frolic The Young
student from Oxford was perfect type of the poor
young men of those times, struggling amid poverty
and cOldness for collegiate honOrs; thankful for anv
pittance no matter how small, that would assist
him in his efforts secure for him the neceSsaries
of life. His personal appearance was next referred
tO--thIn VlSapp6 and nal w tla Of
the animal which he rode in perfect keeping
with that ofthe rider. The Pardoner, fresh from
Rome with his pockets full Of absolutions. which
he anxious to dispose of to those who had the
most money to purchase, was described as an ef-
Terminate character, with bcardless chin, and long
ilaXen hair hanging round his shoulders. He was
always in waiting when penny 4 guinea was to
be made. He cOntrasted this character and his con
federates the frar and the monk. with the curate
and parochial clergymen Of that day. There was
great antipathy existing between these two classes
OF the clergy, and to this day the traveller through
England can the evidences of their hatred The
parochal clergy in the habit of placing images
of wolves, with monks and lriars heads, on the
churches as emblems of the characters ofthat class
as they looked upon them in the light of hungry
beasts, who ate up the substance of the people, In
return the monks and riars represented the parocl
lal clergy as foxes and apes. These images were
still to be seen on many of the old churches. The
lecturer next read from the Canterbury Tales the
description of the principal characters of the party
interSpersing the reading with remarks of his own
and giving the English for many terms which the
audience could not understand.
Chaucer, he said towards the close of his life be-
came much more devout than in his early days.
Previous to his death he prayed that God MIGHT
forgive him for anything which he had written
which was immoral in its tendency The lecturer
would not recommend his works as a whole, for he
had written much that shouIdbc condemned. There
were, however, other portions of his works which
were elevatng and enabling He referred to "The
Flower and the Leaf" as full of excellence from
which any persons could derive lessons of wisdom
and emotions of pleasure. Chaucer's age had pro-
duced one poet whose talents and energies were di-
rccted in correct channel for noble purposes He
referred to the poet Cover
The lecturer then announced the subject of his
next lecture to be WSnensnr and his Tirnns