Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-24
RELICS OF CHAUCER.
The Ellesmere Manuscript Is the Most
Valuable Known.

Valuable known.
From the London Chronicle.
The quincentenary of Chaucer's death
falls on the 25th of October. II we are to
believe his tombstone in Westminster Alb
hey. 1t is doubtful If tombstones always
tell the truth, but here there is really no
| other evidence, and so the date is accepted.
We are thus on the eve Of very interest
ing celebration, and where could it be more
fifty observed than at the British Museum?
Go to the kings library. and you will
find that all the Chaucer memorials which
the museum possesses have been specially
arranged in half dozen cases. To wander
round these, looking at the manuscripts in
their blue, red and gold, or at the earliest
Chaucer editions printed from type would.
in any circumstance. be an nour we'll
spent; and in our case the journey was
made under the escort of an official Of the
museum, learned in all that relates to
Chaucer AS everybody cannot be SO
favored, the obvious thing is to pass the
Information on.
I'VE have here" said our guide. "prac-
tically all the printed editions of Chaucer.
but not by any means all the known Chau-
Ger manuscripts Some of these are in pri-
vate hands, and some are at Oxford and
Cambridge. 1 don't recall any Chaucer
manuscript that has gone out of the coun-
try. There may be one or two in Paris but
they are nothing to speak about"
When one refers to a Chaucer manu-
script, II does not, OF course, mean a manu-
script in his handwriting?'
on, no; because there are none. So far
as am aware there is not even a copy of
his signature in existence. Even allowing
for the rem0teneSS of this time that is
rather curious. He was controller of GUS
toms for hides and woods at the port of
London, and clerk of works at Windsor
While he had these posts he must have
written his signature many times a day,
but 1t casnot be said as an absolute GER
tainty that as much as that of his hand
writing survives. Therefore a Chaucer
manuscript is simply book of the time
printed by hand
What is the most valuable Chaucer relic
in Engand?''
''The Ellesmere manuscript. which Prof.
Skeat took as the foundation of his edition
OF the Canterbury Tales 1t gets its name
because it belongs to the Earl of Ellesmere.
and Is at BridSewater House. 1t not only
has the text which is considered the best
out 1t contains series of contemporary
pictures coiored by hand. Of these We have
a reproduction. as | may point out to you.
in this collection
But you have treasures far greater 1lan
reproductions 2"
To be sure. Take the Harley manu-
script so called after its possessor last CEN
fury, Robert Harley, Earl OF Oxford Until
the Ellesmere manuscript this was the best
text known, and Thomas Wright and DR.
Richard Norris used it for their editions of
tAe Canterbury Tales 1t is a fairly clean
text but has some blunders and some
doubtful readings
DO we know what sort of man Chaucer
was In appearance"
Ell, aiiele is manuscript work in this
~ f mti ~ stts us Chaucef interest from
anvbow IT, ,oI',,.n - d portrait OF MIN:
CbSmcer's one ,Than.,,. -, - oy irlehd OF
tba 60, ome ', 't socci,Ve-peiongs u
noem cont;r a -, Ivy century me
erence hv one VIII t srica 10 ShauceI,a ref
trait is onnositc trh;s it am, me P1r-
said to he The founia ~ "a" niS may De
traits which are Enn,,1, o'oif o. an me por-
we come to the Jansdow,e , Ia uceL, NeS5
IL aIsn - =" 'ii' i:1nslio"i!e manuscript, and