The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-13


ship, we again repeat our doubt to whether thcj
bavc the intellectual stamina and tho hoart-rootcd
earncstnces, both Of which requisite TO make
songs immortal, Mere beauty fades in words az well
as IN hesii, ana only the strongest heart and the
lest BRAN produce offspring to suit all tastes and to
last all time.
II was in 1912 that Moore determined to write an
indian poem Mr.. Perry, of tho Morning Chronicle,
accompanied the poet TO tho Messrs. Longman and
through his intervention the great sum Of 1900
guineas was settled as the price OF the poem, not
one word OF which was rs yet written Moore then
rctircd 10 mayheid Cottage, dcsolatc place in Der
bysbne, and after n long and hard struggle with n
coquetllsb muse, iorth-aiicr three years rotire
ment--ealne "la,lla Roohh," The success was i'm
mense; the poem ran rapidly through several eli
lions, ana Moore's fano stood upon higher and
surer pedestal than ever. The bright fancy and in
mense command of imagery Of the poet were now
at their climax. The tales were the triumph OF
poetic iuscoiSness; but not few old judges stigma
tized their taste by prefering Fadladcen and hi,
criic'ms even TO the Frcworshippers, the tribu-
iations of the Peri. We need hardly say that the
judgment of those tough old critics has now % far
greater number of adhcrents than il once com
manded.
After u continental tour Moore wrote the cleyor
and popular Fudge Family" In the following
year he met Byron in Italy, when the latter cntru5t
ga to him his memoirs for publication. These mo-
molrs Moore sold to Murray for two thousand
guneas; but, as is well known and good deal
regretted, tho purchase money was refunded, the
papers re-obtaned, and destroyed. Pecuniary diff
culties connected with the misconduct of his Bcr-
muda deputy, about this time, compelled Moore to
seek temporary refuge in Paris, and thsre tho
poet led pleasant social life, such he loved and
imposed tho Gloves Of tho Angels" which is not
much more than an elaborate and carefully wrought
out repetition Of all Mr.. Moore's previous love and
fowery poetry. The whole thing is dreamy, lulliug,
beautiful, but vague and misty, The words tinlilc
like falling fountains and the essence Of the closing
poetry floats about enc like perfume; but this
waiting species Of composition is far from being high
oftcner alluded to than it is read.
In 1925 Moore paid visit to Scott, at Abbotsford
The author of 'Waverley" pronounced the irish
methodist to be the 'pretticst warbler" he had over
theatre at Edinburgh. Soon after their at first un-
marked entrance, the attention Of the audience,
which had till then, boon ongrossed by the Duchess
Of St. Adams, who present. was directed towards
port copied and published by Mr.. Moore in one Of
his last prefacos, considerable excitement imme-
diately prevailed Eth! - exclaimed man in the
pit, sch, yon's Sir Walter, wi Lockhsrt and his
Wow, but it's Tam Moore just" g Scott, Scott
Moore, Moore!' Immediately reso,mded through the
house. Scott would not rise; Moore did, and bowed
several times, with his hand on his heart. Scott
afterwards acknowledged the paudits of his coun-
trymen, and the orchestra, during the rest OF the
evening, played alternately Scotch and Irish airs.
Soon after this period, Moore was established, by
the kind Offices of his old and staunch friend the Mar
quis of Lansdowne, in Superior Cottage, where he
passed the remainder of his days, and where no end
cd them. 1t was here that the poet commenced his
career as biographer, and produced successfully
the memoirs of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, of Lord
Byron, and Of Sheridan. The two latter are
too well known and too highly appreciated to
demand more than to be alluded to here. It
was in the previous year that the poet had first
come out as q prose writer in the :" Memoirs of
Captain Rock" bitter and unfair account Of
or rather commentary on-Engsh misgovernment
Of Ireland and curious instance of how warped
and twisted become the views of even man Of the
world like Moore, if he be an Irishman, in writing
an Irish subject. The next serious work of the
p0et-ho continued his squibs and light sparkles
ofoccasional verse, as beiore-was The Travels Of
an Irish Gentleman in search of Religion''--in
which he sought to show that the doctrines and
practises Of the Roman Catholic Church date from
the apostolic period The last of Moore's prose
works. and that which has attained the grentcr SALE
we believe, than any of them, was tho romance of
'.The Epicurenn." Here Moore's style, always too
rich. ef1oresced into clouds Of tawdry rhetoric,
which are only here and there redeemed by passages
Of great eloquencc and natural feeling. There was
much out-of-thc-way learning in the book but tho
pompous march of cumbrous ornameniation oyerlaid
everything. The book had great success, but
not likely TO be lasting. II lar.ook Of what Mr..
CARLYLE calls the .swindbag' nature. Tho wind
inside was very highly prifuncd, and sighed with
very pleasing nurmurs, but, after all, il was only
wind, and as such, viii oozc ont and away, to the
collasing of the bag and The disappearance Of tho
"Ercmean'
flate years the political and social sqnibs to
which we have alluded were the only literary occu-
patoEs TO which Mr.. Moore devoted himself, until,
gradually and iitfnlly, mental darkness came down
upon him, and the quick and ilrciful brain throbbed
with thiok-coniing iancles no moro.
Peace BE with the poet! He led long. plea sunt,
and prosperous life. His poetic genius not of
tho deep, enthusiastic cast. He could write wang
stanzas the fate of Curran's daughter on trea-
sury paper, and become sentimental over the wrongs
OF Ireland while IN English paceman. Universally
II o,,I nukt
from one brilliant coterie to tho other, and
was always in his most perfect element ut the
two great wing resorts-in Berkeley square and
kensingon park. In every one Of his characteristics
the poet was formed for society. lover of pleasure,
with keen appreciation of its every refinement, in
tellectual, social, and sensuous, Moore must have
enjoyed to the very top Of his bent every gratca-
ton which the greatest popularity in the most bril-
enjoy, to amuse, to excite, and to be amused and
to be excited. Successful in almost every literary
effort, accounted brilliant conversatonalist as
he was a poet, as charming singer Ne he was
song. wliter--a privileged person in sphere to
which his mind, by its very nature, looked up with
longing for notice and for praise-few mon have had
career so corresponding with their wishes and their
ambition as Thomas Moore.
The death of the poet coming so shortly after the
setting of tho public life of his good and constant
friend, the Marquis Of Lansdowpe, is a curious and
touching coincidence. The ex-Minister will lament
the departure Of him who was so long the lyrst and
was for years uncared for and unknown and it is
better that the spirit is released than that it should
linger on in the midst of melancholy and hopeless
darkness
Switzerland.
The following additional details Of the trouble be-
tween France and Switzerland, haze come to my
knowledge from sources tho authority of which can
not be questioned. Austria is Mt the bottom Of the
whole affair, ind it is to the initiative taken by that
power on the question Of the refugees that must be
,I,s,tn1
After the corp d'6iat of the 81 December, The MS
trioa government, a. concert nth the governments of
Baror,o and Bodca, dsmaaded The assent of tie
French goreraneu 10 military occupation of Scit-
-eton5 as tSf only mcons said, to sfiac recoi,-
f,onory bctJfd uiich threatened the huagpiNty of
their Stotes. PRUSSIA, which had been solicited to
join in this demand, refused positively TO have any
thing TO say to il.
Without questioning the legitinrcy Of such step.
tie French government replied that it should first
attempt eoLciliatory measures pat to that effect il
n