“I hold that jeweller little to praise
  That loves well that he sees with eye;
  And much to blame, and uncortoyse, uncourteous.
  That leves our Lord would make a lie, believes.
  That lelly hyghte your life to raise who truly promised.
  Though fortune did your flesh to die; caused.
  To set his words full westernays[27]
  That love no thing but ye it syghe! see.
  And that is a point of surquedrie, presumption.
  That each good man may evil beseem, ill become.
  To leve no tale be true to tryghe, trust in.
  But that his one skill may deme."[28]

Much conversation follows, the glorified daughter rebuking and instructing her father.  He prays for a sight of the heavenly city of which she has been speaking, and she tells him to walk along the bank until he comes to a hill.  In recording what he saw from the hill, he follows the description of the New Jerusalem given in the Book of the Revelation.  He sees the Lamb and all his company, and with them again his lost Pearl.  But it was not his prince’s pleasure that he should cross the stream; for when his eyes and ears were so filled with delight that he could no longer restrain the attempt, he awoke out of his dream.

  My head upon that hill was laid
  There where my pearl to grounde strayed. 
  I wrestled and fell in great affray, fear.
  And sighing to myself I said,
  “Now all be to that prince’s paye.” pleasure.

After this, he holds him to that prince’s will, and yearns after no more than he grants him.

“As in water face is to face, so the heart of man.”  Out of the far past comes the cry of bereavement mingled with the prayer for hope:  we hear, and lo! it is the cry and the prayer of a man like ourselves.

From the words of the greatest man of his age, let me now gather two rich blossoms of utterance, presenting an embodiment of religious duty and aspiration, after a very practical fashion.  I refer to two short lyrics, little noted, although full of wisdom and truth.  They must be accepted as the conclusions of as large a knowledge of life in diversified mode as ever fell to the lot of man.

  GOOD COUNSEL OF CHAUCER.

Fly from the press, and dwell with soothfastness;  truthfulness.
Suffice[29] unto thy good, though it be small;
For hoard hath hate, and climbing tickleness;[30]
Praise hath envy, and weal is blent over all.[31]
Savour[32] no more than thee behove shall. 
Rede well thyself that other folk shall rede;      counsel.
And truth thee shall deliver—­it is no drede.      there is no doubt.

  Paine thee not each crooked to redress, every crooked thing.
  In trust of her that turneth as a ball:  Fortune. 
  Great rest standeth in little busi-ness. 
  Beware also to spurn against a nail; nail—­to kick against
  Strive not as doth a crocke with a wall. [the pricks.
  Deme thyself that demest others’ deed; judge.
  And truth thee shall deliver—­it is no drede.