Litchfield enquirer., 1852-05-06
Duel between jeffrey and Moore,

From the Life ef Lord Jeffrey, recent
" published. we copy the following nc,
caunt OF an almost serious interview BIO.
tween that distinguished reviewer and
the poet Moore
| In the summer OF 1906, Jeffrey visits
ed London with Messrs. Thomson and
Murray. The sixteenth number of the
Review had been published shortly be.
fore. 1t contained an article which pro-
duced a temporary difference between
him and Moore. 1t was criticism by
Jeffrey on MooIe's Epistes. Odes, and
other Poems," and contained AS severe
a condemnation OF these produc tons, on
the ground Of their immortality. rs the
English language, even when welded by
Jsttey, could express. The critic, of
course. was to be supposed to ave dis
cussed only the books. but there was
cord'alny and personal application of
the censure, hich made it natural for
the public. and neatly irresistible for the
author, TO refer it to the man. This (no
matter through what de.ails} led TO
hostile meeting near London, on the l1,h
of August, 1906. when Horner acted as
Jefrey's friend. The police, fortunate.
". had diScaxerad what WIS intended.
suddenly apprchended the parties when
they were i'll the very act OF proceeding
TO the last extreme.
| Being bound owe. TO keep the peace
IN this country, they were very near 90.
ing over to HamLurgh-but a little ex-
PLANTATION made this unnecessary. M.
Moore Vithdrew defiance which he had
given on the idea that the imputaions
were PERSONAL; on which Jeffrey declar.
ed that he designed them to he only lit
e'ary--and the quarrel WAS ended. The
following is Jeff'ey's account Of the mat
Ter to George Joseph Bell
{" am happy TO inform you that the
business is at length amicably settled.
Moore agl iced to withdraw his defiance,
and then | had no hesitation in assuring
him las l was ready to have done at the
beginning, if he had applied amicably,)
that in writing the review, / considered
| myself merely as the censor of the NOR
ality of the book, and intended to insert
no;hns as to the personal mo ives or per.
sonal character of the author, of whom |
had no knowledge at the time. We
have since breakfasted together very
lovingly. ne has confessed bis oeni
tcnce for what he has written, and de
clared that he will never again apply any
little talent he may possess to such pur.
poses; and l have said | shall be happy
10 praise him whenever / find he has
ahjured those Objectionable topics. You
are too severe upon the little man. He
has behaved with great spiri. Throughout,
this business. lie really is not profiiga.e
and is universally regarded even BY those
who resent the style of his poetry, as an
innocent, good hearted. idle fellow. IL
he comes TO Scotland, AZ he talks of dos
ing. in November. hope you will no,
refuse to sit down with him at nv table.
We like to have gone to Hambu gh after
we had been bound over here !; but it is
much better as 1t is. lam glad 10 have
gone Though with the scene. both be.
cause 1t satisfies me hat nv nerves are
good enough to enable me to acl in con.
lorml'y to my notions Of proprlety with.
Out any suffering. and because il also
assures me that / am really as little in
love with life. MS l have been for some
time IN The habit of protesting
1t may not be generally known that
Lord jeffrey married Miss CHARLOTTE.
daughter of Charles Wilkes, ESQ, a New
York banker. He FIRST met her in Ed
inburgh, where she was visiting some
. friends. In 1918. he crossed the Al.
! lantic to solicit her hand. married her.
and they returEed to Sc, t>and together
II Is worthy Of remark, that though ou,
!. nation was then at war with G,eat B,i.
tain, jeffrey. on visiting Washington
dinsd BY invitation with President Mad
ison. and was treated with grea. consid.
GRAFTON BY other officers Of The Govern