The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-04
RInGRAPHY OF MOORE.

tneT, WHICH taxes US On 10 Tue year lOoo' "HeH
he was twenty seven years old. In that year
his famous meeting with Jeffrey, upon which
Lord Byron dwelt with such severity IN the
text and notes of English Bards and Scotch
Reviewers, took place. The poet has LETT
narrative ofthat transaction, which is publish
ed in this volume, and which we felt some de-
sire to republish, until we saw it in several
exchange papers.
The publication Ct these memoirs has de-
veloped trait in the character of Moore which
we think has never been alluded TO IN Inc
sketches of his life we have seen, ano
which renders him greatly more amIaoie ano
interesting in cur eyes than ne ever appeared
before, highly as we have always been oiS-
posed TO estimate his genius, and the warm
glowing patriotism that appears IN all MS
works. We allude TO his affection tor MS mo-
Their, his father and his two sseis, buf espe-
cialIy the first mentioned. NO matter "here
he was-in the gay company OF the great IN
London, or in the deep secluslon OF Donngton
Castle. sitting bv his own snug freside in his
boarding house, or tossing upon the waves OF
the Atlantic, in Dublin or in America, on the
banks ofthe Thames or on those of the Hud-
son, threading the mazes of a qHsdriile at
Carlton House, or standing awe-struck in the
presence of Niagara, in sickness or in health,
in prosperity or in adversely, in good spirits or
in bad, he never for moment lost sight OF
that beloved parent. As long as she lived ne
made it point TO write to her, no matter
where he might be, at least once fortnight, so
that his letters to her alone, form very good
narrative OF his life, for he told her everything,
good or bad, that happened, or that he anici-
pated. The expressions which he uses are
those of devoted and almost childish tender
ness. He never took any step withouthe her APP
probation, and he never hesitated to abandon
any design, if he thought its prosecution
would render her unhappy. His affection for
his two sisters is not less striking. In the
gayest moments ofhis triumphant success, he
lever ceases to think of them, and TO express
the deepest anxiety for their education ana ap-
pearance in the world. The tone which he
employs in speaking of them, shows that he
was on terms of the mos. perfect intimacy
with them, though an elder brother, and took
The most lively interest in everything that a.
fected them. The first fruits of his success es
poet are devoted to one ofthem, and he Deep
ly regrets that he has not made money enough
to buy her piano. He mentions, as a noble
trait in the character of the unfortunate Robt.
Emmei, whose college-mate and intimate
friend he was, that he had declined to admit
him into the secrets Of the United Irish Society
at that time existing in Trinity College, be-
cause it was dangerous, and he knew how
dearly beloved al home he was. This family
affection seems never to have deserted Moore, |
throughout his life. His grief for the death of
his mother, and his sister Ellen, gave the first |
shock to his mind, which the loss of his chill |
dren afterwards entirely overthrow. His mo- |
Their and sisters appear TO have been every |
way worthy of this intense affection. The for |
mer was undoubtedly, from the description |
which he gives of her, and from the care and |
prvation which she underwent for the sake of |
her children, person Of high principles, and |
of very uncommon understanding. W. deem |
it tolerably certain that from her he inherited |
all his genius and all his sensbility, for his !
father, though good, honest man, devotedly |
fond of his children, does not appear to have |
possessed more than very common share of
either.
Ia all the relations of lite, Moore seems to
have been very amiable person. No man was
more beloved by his friends, or apparently de-
served better 10 be SO. Byron speaks of him
as one of the best persons he had ever known,
and Scott describes him not only as one Of the
most amiable, but also as one of the most agree
able men he had ever had the good fortune TO
meet nj h. The mighty genius with which
each Of these men was endowed, placed them
30 far above the suspicion of envy, that they
might have disparaged the Irish poet, without
having given cause to believe that they did so
from rivalry. But they both expressed them
selves in terms of unqualified admiration with
regard to his productions. 1t is one of the
bri ghtest chapters in the history of Moore, as
it is, also, in that of Scott, that when all Eng
land turned upon Byron, they remained his
firm and steadfast friends to the last. Inde-
pendence of mind, and Discrimination TO lay
himself under obligations, was disting uish
ing characteristic, indeed, of each, but more
especially of the Irish poet. In spite of his
poverty and of his pecunisry embarrassments,
which were SO great that they were always a
source OF annoyance to him, he invariably de-
clined any offer Of assistance. He would not
fetter his mind and his pen, by obligations TO
any person whatever.
Of Moore, as a writer. il is not our intention,
in this connection, to say much. The exaui.
site strain Of r. usic, and the warm glow of pa
riotism that give life to his songs, have alrea-
dy rendered them immortal. As lyric poet
he has, and can have, in our judgment, no ri.
val in any language but Burns, and the situa-
ton of the two was so different, that il seems
almost impossible to compare them. Each
stands so far above all others, on the list, that
none can come near enough to be c.assed as
rival. Moore has said that though Burns
was never taught music, yet he was in
tensely and exquisitely musical by nature
He, himself, was taught music yet had he
been without that advantage, still the genius
of song must have developed itself in him, as
ii did in his great Scottish predecessor. In
the memoir of himself he says III at his over.
81