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James flourished nearly about the time of Chaucer and
Gower, and was evidently an admirer and studier of
their writings. Indeed, in one of his stanzas he acknowledges
them as his masters; and, in some parts of his
poem, we find traces of similarity to their productions,
more especially to those of Chaucer. There are always,
however, general features of resemblance in the works
of contemporary authors, which are not so much borrowed
from each other as from the times. Writers, like
bees, toil their sweets in the wide world; they incorporate
with their own conceptions the anecdotes and thoughts
which are current in society; and thus each generation
has some feature in common, characteristic of the age in
which it lived.

James in fact belongs to one of the most brilliant eras
of our literary history, and establishes the claims of his
country to a participation in its primitive honours.
Whilst a small cluster of English writers are constantly
cited as the fathers of our verse, the name of their great
Scottish compeer is apt to be passed over in silence; but
he is evidently worthy of being enrolled in that little constellation
of remote but never-failing luminaries, who shine
in the highest firmament of literature, and who, like morning
stars, sang together at the bright dawning of British
poesy.