Dan Chaucer, as he is termed by some older writers, is the popular representative of the earlier period of English poetry; indeed he may be considered The Poet, par excellence, of the English Middle Ages. In spite of the antiquated character of his language, the Canterbry Tales will never cease to be generally read. Yet, as has been the case with many other great literary characters in ages when society was half formed, in spite of his great fame, which was already established during his life time, many of the most important parts of his life are covered with mystery. We have no memorials left of his birth or of his parents, and the rank or condition of the latter has been a subject almost as much disputed as the celebrated question of the birthplace of Homer. The date of Chaucer's birth has been placed in the year 1328; we have his own authority for stating that it took place in London. The place of his education has also been a matter of controversy, but from some expressions in his works it seems probable that he studied in Cambridge. He died on 25th October 1400. Copies of this portrait are found in one or two MSS of Occleve's book; and one of them was engraved to illustrate Tyrwhitt's edition of the Canterbury Tales. The epitaph oriiginally inscribed on Chaucer's monument at Westminster was as follows: "Galfridus Chaucer, vates et fama poesis, Maternae hac sacra sum tumulatus humo."