No More Learning

Many of the above examples are very bald renderings of the original, and
are only quoted here to show that Chaucer did not make his translation
from the French.

Chaucer is not always felicitous in his translations:--thus he
translates _clavus atque gubernaculum_ by _keye and a stiere_ (p. 103),
and _compendium_ (gain, acquisition) by _abreggynge_ (abridging,
curtailment), p. 151. Many terms make their appearance in English for
the first time,--and most of them have become naturalized, and are such
as we could ill spare. Some few are rather uncommon, as _gouernaile_
(gubernaculum), p. 27; _arbitre_ (arbitrium), p. 154. As Chaucer takes
the trouble to explain _inestimable_ (inaestimabilis), p. 158, it could
not have been a very familiar term.

Our translator evidently took note of various readings, for on p. 31 he
notes a variation of the original. On p. 51 he uses _armurers_
(= armures) to render _arma_, though most copies agree in reading
_arva_.

There are numerous glosses and explanations of particular passages,
which seem to be interpolated by Chaucer himself.
Thus he explains what
is meant by the _heritage of Socrates_ (p. 10, 11); he gives the
meaning of _coemption_ (p. 15); of _Euripus_ (p. 33); of the _porch_
(p. 166). [I-11] Some of his definitions are very quaint; as, for
instance, that of Tragedy--'_a dite of a prosperite for a tyme ? at endi?
in wrechednesse_' (p. 35). One would think that the following definition
of Tragedian would be rather superfluous after this,--'_a maker of dites
? at hy? ten_ (are called) _tregedies_' (p. 77).

_Melliflui . . .