96 97 From IV. From the Light of the Harem: Cashmere, Light Causes may create Dissension, *Song of the Arab Maid, NATIONAL AIRS.-*Hark! the Vesper Hymn is Stealing—Russian, 99 Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. 99 SACRED MELODIES.-*Miriam's Song-Sound the Loud Timbrel, 103 *This World is all a Fleeting Show, THE FUDGE FAMILY IN PARIS.-*Miss Biddy's Last Epistle, 103 104 FABLES FROM THE HOLY ALLIANCE.-A Dream, LOVES OF THE ANGELS.-Song of Lilis, from the Second 125 Moore's Verse Described by Himself, in Lalla Rookh, Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. *Oh the Shamrock, *The Young May Moon, *The Harp that Once through Tara's Halls, 145 *The Meeting of the Waters, 145 133 133-4 Page Do. IRISH MELODIES.-*The Origin of the Harp, *Sing Sweet Harp, 146 146 Do. *Oh, Could we Do with this World of Ours, 150 Do. *Oh, do not Look so Bright and Blest, 160 The Temple of the Moon (Prose extract), from THE EPICUREAN, 169 *Translation from the Gull Language: a Political Squib, 198 From THE FUDGES IN ENGLAND.-*Larry O'Branigan's Letter, 203 *Letter in Rhyme to Sydney Smith, 219 *There was a Little Man: a Ballad, 234 *Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes on Thomas Moore.. *Denis Florence Mac Carthy's Ode to Moore, Page 242 243 THOMAS MOORE: HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS. CHAPTER I. EARLY AND COLLEGE DAYS IN DUBLIN. THOMAS MOORE was born in Dublin, in the year 1780, of humble but respectable parents, both of whom were Roman Catholics. His father, John Moore, was a grocer and keeper of a small wine store in Aungier Street, where his dwelling-house was over the shop. The usual date. assigned for Moore's birth is 1779; but, although the latter date appears upon his tomb-stone, the baptismal register, which has been published by Earl Russell, is still in existence, and proves that he was born in 1780. To his mother's judicious home-training, Moore was indebted for his future success in society. He was first sent to school, at a very early age, to a Mr. Malone, in the same street-" a wild, odd fellow," he says, "of whose cocked hat I have still a clear remembrance, and who used to pass the greater part of his nights in drinking at public-houses, and was hardly ever able to make his appearance in the school before noon. He would then generally whip the boys all round for disturbing his slumbers." He afterwards attended the grammar-school of Mr. Samuel White, eminent as an elocutionist, but more widely known as the teacher of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and Thomas Moore. His youth was spent in a troubled political period. The French Revolution was regarded as a hopeful event by the Ultramontane party in Ireland, and the poet used to tell how he remembered, at a great public dinner, sitting on the chairman's knee, while the toast, "May the breezes from France fan the Irish oak into verdure," went round amidst triumphant cheering. In 1794 Moore entered Trinity College, Dublin, with a view to study for law. His career there was more than an ordinary success, although, hating Latin hexameters, he often substituted English for Latin verse, when he conveniently could do so. From his childhood he had exhibited a genius for lyric verse and music; and two of his productions, dropped into the letter-box of a Dublin magazine called The Anthologia, appeared in its pages, bearing the initials "T. M.," when he was only fourteen years of age. He was fond of recitation, and was Mr. White's favourite show-scholar. "I attained the honour," says Moore, "of being singled out by him on days of public examination as one of his most successful and popular exhibitors to the no small jealousy, as may be supposed, of all other mammas, and the great glory of my own. As I looked particularly infantine for my age, the wonder was, of course, still more wonderful. 'Oh, he's an old little crab,' said one of the rival Cornelias, on an occasion of this kind; 'he can't be less than eleven or twelve years of age.' Then, madam,' said a gentleman sitting next to her, who was slightly acquainted with our family, 'if that is the case he must have been four years old before he was born.' This answer, which was reported to my mother, won her warm heart towards that gentleman for ever after." 6 |