GORE, MRS. CATHERINE GRACE FRANCES (MOODY) (1799-1861).--Novelist, _dau._ of a wine merchant at Retford, where she was _b._ She _m._ a Captain Gore, with whom she resided mainly on the Continent, supporting her family by her voluminous writings. Between 1824 and 1862 she produced about 70 works, the most successful of which were novels of fashionable English life. Among these may be mentioned _Manners of the Day_ (1830), _Cecil, or the Adventures of a Coxcomb_ (1841), and _The Banker's Wife_ (1843). She also wrote for the stage, and composed music for songs. GOSSON, STEPHEN (1554-1624).--Poet, actor, and satirist, _b._ in Kent, and _ed._ at Oxf., he went to London, and wrote plays, which are now lost, and pastorals; but, moved by a sermon preached at Paul's Cross in 1577 during a plague, he deserted the theatre, and became one of its severest critics in his prose satire, _The School of Abrose_ (1579), directed against "poets, pipers, players, jesters, and such-like Caterpillars of a Commonwealth." Dedicated to Sir P. Sidney, it was not well received by him, and is believed to have evoked his _Apologie for Poetrie_ (1595). G. entered the Church, and _d._ Rector of St. Botolph's, London. GOUGH, RICHARD (1735-1809).--Antiquary, was _b._ in London, and studied at Camb. For many years he made journeys over England in pursuit of his antiquarian studies. He _pub._ about 20 works, among which are _British Topography_ (1768), _Sepulchral Monuments of Great Britain_ (1786-99), an ed. of Camden's _Britannia_, a translation of _The Arabian Nights_ (1798), and various other treatises on archæology, topography, and numismatics. GOWER, JOHN (1325?-1408).--Poet. Although few details of his life have come down to us, he appears to have been a man of wealth and importance, connected with Kent, well known at Court, and in possession of more than one estate. He was the friend of Chaucer, who gives him the title of "the moral Gower," which has clung to him ever since. His first principal work was _Speculum Meditantis_ (the Mirror of one meditating) written in French on the subject of married life. It was long believed to have been lost. It was followed by _Vox Clamantis_ (the Voice of one crying) written in Latin, giving an account of the peasants' revolt of 1381, and attacking the misgovernment and social evils which had led to it. His third, and only English poem, was _Confessio Amantis_ (Lover's Confession), a work of 30,000 lines, consisting of tales and meditations on love, written at the request of Richard II. It is the earliest large collection of tales in the English tongue. In his old age G. became blind. He had, when about 70, retired to the Priory of St. Mary Overies, the chapel of which is now the Church of St. Saviour, Southwark, where he spent his last years, and to which he was a liberal benefactor. G. represented the serious and cultivated man of his time, in which he was reckoned the equal of Chaucer, but as a poet he is heavy and prolix.