Chaucer is, moreover, a thoroughly religious poet, all his merriest stories having a fair moral; even those which are too coarse for modern taste are rather _naïve_ than injurious; and his pages breathe a genuine faith in God, and a passionate sense of the beauty and harmony of the divine work. The selections I have made are some of the most beautiful portions of Chaucer’s most beautiful tales. I believe that some knowledge of, or at least interest in, the domestic life and manners of the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, would materially help young children in their reading of English history. The political life would often be interpreted by the domestic life, and much of that time which to a child’s mind forms the _dryest_ portion of history, because so unknown, would then stand out as it really was, glorious and fascinating in its vigour and vivacity, its enthusiasm, and love of beauty and bravery. There is no clearer or safer exponent of the life of the 14th century, as far as he describes it, than Geoffrey Chaucer. As to the difficulties of understanding Chaucer, they have been greatly overstated. An occasional reference to a glossary is all that is requisite; and, with a little attention to a very simple general rule, anybody with moderate intelligence and an ear for musical rhythm can enjoy the lines. In the first place, it must be borne in mind that the _E_ at the end of the old English words was usually a syllable, and must be sounded, as _Aprillē_, _swootĕ_, &c. Note, then, that Chaucer is always _rhythmical_. Hardly ever is his rhythm a shade wrong, and therefore, roughly speaking, _if you pronounce the words so as to preserve the rhythm_ all will be well. When the final _e_ must be sounded in order to make the rhythm right, sound it, but where it is not needed leave it mute.[2] Thus:--in the opening lines-- Whan that | _April_ | _le_ with | his _schowr_ | _es_ swoote when, showers, sweet The drought | of Marche | hath per | cèd to | the roote pierced, root And bath | ud eve | ry veyne | in swich | licour such, liquor Of whiche | vertue | engen | drèd is | the flour. flower (_Prologue._) You see that in those words which I have put in italics the final E must be sounded slightly, for the rhythm’s sake. And _sma_ | _le fow_ | _les_ ma | ken me | lodie small birds make That sle | pen al | the night | with o | pen yhe. sleep, all (_Prologue._) Again, to quote at random-- The bu | sy _lark_ | _e_ mess | ager | of day, lark, messenger Salu | eth in | hire song | the _mor_ | _we_ gray. saluteth, her, morning (_Knight’s Tale._)