66 The Future Poetry
of Italian masters; the Elizabethans start anew in dependence on
Renaissance influences from France and Italy and a side wind
from Spain; Milton goes direct to classical models; the Restora-
tion and the eighteenth century take pliantly the pseudo-classical
form from the contemporary French poets and critics. Still this
dependence is only in externals; in the essential things of poetry
some native character prevails, a new turn is rapidly given, an
original power and method emerges; the dynamic vitality of the
race was too great not to arrive at an immediate transmutation
of the invading force.
The first early motive and style of this poetry as it emerges
in Chaucer strikes at once an English note. The motive is a
direct and concrete poetic observation of ordinary human life
and character. There is no preoccupying idea, no ulterior design;
life, the external figure and surface of things is reflected as near
as possible to its native form in the individual mind and tem-
perament of the poet. Chaucer has his eye fixed on the object,
and that object is the visible action of life as it passes before
him throwing its figures on his mind and stirring it to a kindly
satisfaction in the movement and its interest, a blithe sense of
humour or a light and easy pathos. He does not seek to add
anything to it or to see anything below it or behind its outsides.
He is not concerned to look at all into the souls or deeply into
the minds of the men and women whose appearance, action and
easily apparent traits of character he describes with so apt and
observant a fidelity. There is no call on the poet yet to ask himself
what is the meaning of all this movement of life or the power
in it or draw any large poetic idea from its vivid scheme and
structure. He is not moved to interpret life; a clear and happy
presentation is his business. It is there simply in the sunlight with
its familiar lines and normal colours, sufficiently interesting in
itself, by its external action, and he has to record it, to give it
a shape in lucid poetic speech and rhythm; for to turn it into
stuff of poetry that and the sunlight of his own happy poetic
temperament in which he bathes it is all he needs. The form he
gives to it is within its limits and for its work admirably apt,
sufficient and satisfying, — altogether and excellently satisfying