John Gower

John Gower (c. 1330 – 1408) was an English poet who wrote in English, French and Latin. His most famous work is the Confessio Amantis.

Quotes

 * For whan men wene best to have achieved, Ful ofte it is al newe to beginne: The werre hath no thing siker, thogh he winne.
 * "In Praise of Peace", line 117.

Confessio Amantis

 * Quotations are taken from the third recension of the poem, unless otherwise stated.


 * Bot for men sein, and soth it is, That who that al of wisdom writ It dulleth ofte a mannes wit To him that schal it aldai rede, For thilke cause, if that ye rede, I wolde go the middel weie And wryte a bok betwen the tweie, Somwhat of lust, somewhat of lore.
 * Prologue, line 12.


 * But in proverbe I have herde say, That who that wel his werk beginneth, The rather a good end he winneth.
 * Prologue (First recension), line 86.


 * For loves lawe is out of reule.
 * Bk. 1, line 18.


 * It hath and schal ben everemor That love is maister wher he wile.
 * Bk. 1, line 34.


 * He hath the sor which no man heleth, The which is cleped lack of herte.
 * Bk. 4, line 334.


 * O fol of alle foles, Thou farst as he betwen tuo stoles That wolde sitte and goth to grounde.
 * Bk. 4, line 625.


 * The beauté faye upon her face Non erthly thing it may desface.
 * Bk. 4, line 1321.


 * Nevere yit Was non, which half so loste his wit Of drinke, as thei of such thing do Which cleped is the jolif wo.
 * Bk. 6, line 31.


 * What is a lond wher men ben none? What ben the men whiche are alone Withoute a kinges governance? What is a king in his ligance, Wher that ther is no lawe in londe? What is to take lawe on honde, Bot if the jugges weren trewe?
 * Bk. 7, line 2695.


 * So goth the world, now wo, now wel
 * Bk. 8, line 1738.

Criticism

 * O moral Gower!
 * Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde, Bk. 5, line 1856.


 * In the content of his work it is interesting to notice that he is profoundly English. His romanticism, and his choice of the theme of Time and Age – both these look back to the Anglo-Saxons and forward to the nineteenth century. Yet his form is French. The heart is insular and romantic, the head cool and continental: it is a good combination.
 * C. S. Lewis, The Allegory of Love (1975 [1936]), p. 222.