Athenæum, Nov. 20. 1850.
_Chaucer's Portrait by Occleve._--Is the _portrait_ of Chaucer which
Occleve _drew_ in his translation of _Egidius de Roma_ to be found in _all_
the MSS. of that work? and, if so, has it ever been engraved. I have not
Urry's _Chaucer_ by me, or perhaps he could save you the trouble of
answering the question.
On reference to Watts, I find he does not even mention this work of
Occleve, but contents himself with a piece of supercilious criticism;
whereas the notices which Occleve takes of passing events (of which the
character of Chaucer is one) are at least valuable (although his poetry may
not be the best in the world), and his work is also valuable in giving us
the phraseology of the fourteenth century.