Of the works ascribed to C. several are, for various reasons, of greater or less strength, considered doubtful. These include _The Romaunt of the Rose_, _Chaucer's Dream_, and _The Flower and the Leaf_. After his return from Italy about 1380 he entered upon his period of greatest productiveness: _Troilus and Criseyde_ (1382?), _The Parlement of Foules_ (1382?), _The House of Fame_ (1384?), and _The Legende of Goode Women_ (1385), belong to this time. The first of them still remains one of the finest poems of its kind in the language. But the glory of C. is, of course, the _Canterbury Tales_, a work which places him in the front rank of the narrative poets of the world. It contains about 18,000 lines of verse, besides some passages in prose, and was left incomplete. In it his power of story-telling, his humour, sometimes broad, sometimes sly, his vivid picture-drawing, his tenderness, and lightness of touch, reach their highest development. He is our first artist in poetry, and with him begins modern English literature. His character--genial, sympathetic, and pleasure-loving, yet honest, diligent, and studious--is reflected in his writings. SUMMARY.--_B._ 1340, fought in France 1359, by his marriage in 1366 became connected with John of Gaunt, employed on diplomatic missions 1369-79, Controller of Customs, etc., _c._ 1374, began _Canterbury Tales_ 1373, elected to Parliament 1386, loses his appointments 1386, Clerk of King's Works 1389-91, pensioned by Richard II. and Henry IV., _d._ _c._ 1400. The best ed. of C. is _The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer_ (6 vols. 1894), ed. by Prof. Skeat. Others are Thos. Wright's for the Percy Society (1842), and Richard Morris's in Bell's Aldine Classics (1866). CHERRY, ANDREW (1762-1812).--Dramatist, _s._ of a bookseller at Limerick, was a successful actor, and managed theatres in the provinces. He also wrote some plays, of which _The Soldier's Daughter_ is the best. His chief claim to remembrance rests on his three songs, _The Bay of Biscay_, _The Green Little Shamrock_, and _Tom Moody_. CHESTERFIELD, PHILIP DORMER STANHOPE, 4TH EARL OF (1694-1773).--Statesman and letter-writer, was the eldest _s._ of the 3rd Earl. After being at Trinity Coll., Camb., he sat in the House of Commons until his accession to the peerage in 1726. He filled many high offices, including those of Ambassador to Holland, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Sec. of State. He was distinguished for his wit, conversational powers, and grace of manner. His place in literature is fixed by his well-known _Letters_ addressed to his natural son, Philip Dormer Stanhope. Though brilliant, and full of shrewdness and knowledge of the world, they reflect the low tone of morals prevalent in the age when they were written. He was the recipient of Johnson's famous letter as to his "patronage."