The dismissal of Lord Oxford, the death of Queen Anne immediately afterwards, on August 1, 1714, and the overthrow of Bolingbroke, were events which had recently happened when Pope published his poem, and there never was a time when "changes in the state," "the falls of favourites," and "old mismanagements" were a more universal topic of conversation.]
But such a grete congregation Of folke as I saw roame about, Some within, and some without. Was never seen, ne shall be eft-- And every wight that I saw there Rowned everich in others ear A newe tyding privily, Or elles he told it openly Right thus, and said, Knowst not thou That is betide to night now? No, quoth he, tell me what And then he told him this and that, &c.--POPE.]
Thus north and south Went every tiding fro mouth to mouth, And that encreasing evermo, As fire is wont to quicken and go From a sparkle sprong amiss, Till all the citee brent up is.--POPE.]
In Ovid the scene is laid in the house of Fame. Pope lays it in the house of Rumour, and having left Fame enthroned in her own temple, he now represents her as permanently "sitting aloft" in a totally different edifice.]
And sometime I saw there at once, A lesing and a sad sooth saw That gonnen at adventure draw Out of a window forth to pace-- And no man be he ever so wrothe, Shall have one of these two, but bothe, &c.--POPE.]
[Footnote 129: The hint is taken from a passage in another part of the third book, but here more naturally made the conclusion, with the addition of a moral to the whole. In Chaucer, he only answers, "he came to see the place;" and the book ends abruptly, with his being surprized at the sight of a man of great authority, and awaking in a fright.--POPE.
This is an imperfect representation. While Chaucer is standing in the House of Fame, a person goes up to him,
And saide, Friend, what is thy name, Artow come hither to have fame?
The poet disclaims any such intention, and protests that he has no desire that his name should be known to a single soul. He is then asked what he does there, and he replies that he who brought him to the place promised him that he should learn new and wonderful things, in which, he says, he has been disappointed, for he was aware before that people coveted fame, though he was not hitherto acquainted with the dwelling of the goddess, nor with her appearance and condition. His interrogator answers that he perceives what it is he desires to know, and conducts him to the house of Rumour. There he has revealed to him the falsehood of the world, and especially of pilgrims and pardoners, which was an important doctrine to be inculcated in those days. When the scene has been fully disclosed, "a man of great authority" appears, and the poet starts up from his sleep, by which he seems to intimate that the wise and serious frown upon those who listen to idle tales. His awaking "half afraid," is the result of his