piety, benevolence, and ardent zeal; tỏ which was added, great gravity, and even austerity of manners, befitting the first champion of religious liberty.

After his death, his followers, by way of reproach, were stiled Lollards*.

It is not easy to know what were the opinions of Wicliffe on some important points, as they appear to have fluctuated in several particulars, as is usual in the pursuit of truth; and in a few instances were evidently modified by his various persecutions. But his opinions in the

*The term Lollard, according to the canonist Lyndwood, is derived from the Latin word lolium, which signifies a cockle; because that weed is injurious to the corn, among which it grows; infelix lolium.-Georg. Thus the Lollards, if we are to believe the Catholics, corrupted and injured the good intentions of those with whom they had intercourse. To this derivation of the word, Chaucer alludes in the following lines: This Lollar here woll preache us somewhat,

man.

He wolde sowin some difficultie,

Or spring in some cockle in our clene corn.

Squire's Prologue. Others derive the name from one Walter Lolhard, a GerBeausobre Dissert. sur Adamites, &c. Others, again, from Lullard, or Lollards, the praises of God; a sect so named, which was dispersed through Brabant. Pictete Oration. [Ses Lewis's Life of Reynold Pecocke.]

main, derived from his examination of the scriptures, and his researches into ecclesiastical antiquity, resembled those of the reformers of the 16th century: though in some points he went even further than they. In addition to the sentiments contained in the above extracts, he maintained that the clergy ought to possess no estates; that the numerous ceremonies of the church of Rome, are injurious to true piety; that oaths are unlawful; and what is very remarkable, that the church is dependent on the state, and ought to be reformed by it. Yet, after all his innovations, it must be allowed that his sentiments are deeply coloured by the superstition of his age. He was an advocate for the Calvinistic doctrines of grace, predestination, &c. &c.

But it were unjust to try Wicliffe by the test which would be proper for a public character of modern times. We must consider the. age in which he lived-oppressed and enslaved by the baleful superstition of the Romish church, and still overshadowed by the thick darkness spread over the nations since the irruption of the Gothic barbarians-and we shall acknowledge, that his services to mankind were incalculable. In respect of the two points, 1. Of op

position to the friars, 2. Of those particular encroachments of the pope, by which he superseded the ecclesiastical constitution of every country, disposing at his pleasure of benefices and dignities throughout Christiandom-Wic liffe had precursors in St. Amour, Fitzralph archbishop of Armagh, and Grostete bishop of Lincoln. But he was the first to throw off the trammels of implicit faith, and to teach his countrymen and the world, to judge for themselves; and his unwearied exertions sowed the seeds of that auspicious revolution in religion, which, about a century and half after, arrived at full maturity. His design was to produce a revolution in the morals as well as in the religion of mankind; and he has the glory of giving an impulse to the soul, which will progressively augment to the end of time.

Should it be thought that I dwell too long upon a writer so antiquated, and whose works are not likely even to be consulted, except by the curious, I would beg leave to observe, that to those who delight to contemplate the progress of the human species in knowledge and refinement, nothing will be uninteresting in the character and conduct of those who have taken the first steps in this important process, how

ever low those steps may be placed in the imaginary scale of perfection. In all stages of society, those unquestionably deserve the highest praise, who outstep the rest of their cotemporaries; who rise up in solitary majesty amidst a host of prejudices and errors, combating intrepidly on one side, though assailed and weakened on another. The merit consists in setting the example; in exhibiting a pattern after which others may work. It is easy to follow, when there is one to lead; but to be the first to strike out into a new and untried way, in whatever state of society it may be found, marks a genius above the common order. Such men are entitled to everlasting gratitude.

CHAUCER.

WE come now to the renowned poet and eminent scholar GEOFFREY CHAUCER; and as the recorded particulars of his life are not numerous, and are besides of a description calculated to illustrate the manners of the age, shall give them at some length; premising, that the account is borrowed almost exclusively from Mr. Godwin's late work.

I

Chaucer, from the original inscription on his tomb-stone, died in 1400, aged 72. He was therefore born in 1328; and himself has informed us that his birth-place was London. His father was probably a merchant. In his "Court of Love," a poem which he published at the age of eighteen, he speaks of himself as

Philogenet of Cambridge, Clerk;" hence it may be presumed, that he passed some of the later years of his education at that university; though it is affirmed on the authority of Leland, and likewise inferred from some collateral evidence, that he afterwards removed to Oxford.