The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-03-02
Mocoe as q Lyric Poet.

As lyric poet Moore stands alone. NJ
country OF ancient or modern times has pro
Guced his equal in that species of poetry
| Ureece may boast of her Pindar, her Sapphe
| and her Anacreon; Rome of her Horace; Mod
! ern italy of her Petrarch; France Of her Der
England of her Gray, her Dryden and her Ten.
nyson but the Green Isle of the West can
Doast OF a bard in whom the different excel
lencies of all are united. The sweetness OF
Anacreon, the elegance Of Horace, the ro-
mantle love of Petrarch, tho fiery enthusiasm
OF Beranger, the patbos of Burns, the martial
hre OF Campbell, the energy of Dryden, the
Classic refinement OF Gray and the exquisite
Poiish OF Iennyson are concentrated in Moore.
In the Melodies he has raised himself to bor-
row the proud boast OF the Roman poet, "Ex-
egi monumentum ;ere perrennius "a mouu-
ment moro durable than brass. Without any
eXaggeration, without any enthusiastic ardor,
the Melodies may be pronounced the richest,
the noblest, the most finished collection of
songs the world has ever seen. Such beauty
OF language. such melody of diction and YER
slication, such rich and appropriate imagery,
such brilliant wit, such racy humor, such
burning patriotism, such magic tenderness,
such pathos, cannot be found united in the
lyric poetry of any other age or country. The
that breathe and words that burn" run
through each of them. Rival journalists vie
with each other in landing them.
The Edinburgh Rerie,o has extolled them to
the heavens, and the Quarterly echoed its
praises. Wings and Tories, Anglicans and
Dssenters forgot their feuds and bowed in
peace at the shrine Of genius. Never before
were tho most distinguished literary men of
England so unanimous in their praise of q
great Irishman. Nor were the eulogists of
Moore too encomiastic Other Wrists may have
equaled him i'll some one quality, but his was
the master hand that ran through leach mode
OF Tyre and was master of ALL" Among mod
ern lyric poets, the name of Burns is the most
frequently mentioned connection with
Moore. Both were born of humble parents,
each is the pride and boast of his countrymcn
and each has attained renown far greater
than that of any of the Plantagencts. In pa
thos and tenderness, in the forcble expression
of natural feeling, in pure love of country,
both are equal; but here the resembanceends.
liberal education. Iu Demosthenetic energy
OF expression the latter was perhaps the SUI
perior. Burns had moro nature; Moore more
art, or rather nature improved by art. In
richness and happiness of imagery, in melody
and tieXibility of diction and versitication, in
artistic finish and acquired knowledge and the
telicitious application of that knowledge,
Moore is infinitely superior to the Scottish
bard. He is the moro worthy of praise because
he was born while the Penal Code was yet in
full operation.
The music as we'll as the religion of Ireland
had long been prescribed. The national muse
was silent for centuries. She seemed to have
reserved her choicest gifts for Moore. She
flung her mantle of inspiration around him,
ana ne emDalmeu IN lmperlShaDle verso the
hopes, the joys, the sorrows, the aspirations
and traditions of his countrymen. The wand
of the enchanter touched the chords of the
harp and again the hymn of the brave aud the
free, the sad lament, the warm lay of love and
the light note of gladuess were heard on the
green hills aud through the blooming valleys
OF Erin. The notes uf the nightingale tanned
the rage of the TNIltUrr. The charms of song
sottened the stony nature of despotsnl, and
the sweet and pwih-i!" strains of the Irish
minstrel warmed i'm" t>inancss at..t pity the
Saxon. fhr Melodies were more
potent than the cloIucncA OF Grattau and
enancip patton. Through them, arguments in
favor of the freedom of Irish Catholics were
introduced into the drawing rooms of England,
more convincing than the logic eff the greatest
champions of emancipation. Many Il fair
cheek says the Edinburgh Reriew, twas be-
dewed with tears when one of the Melodies
were sung in the palace-halls of the great EuG
lish nobles."
These enchanting Songs have winged their
way to every clIme they are translated into
every tongue, they are sung in every land in
This is no overdrawu picture of Moore. His
excellence is attestcd by men whose judgment
will always command respect. "Of English
lyric poets,' says Lord Johu Russell, "Moore
is certainly the first" "Of all the song
writer's says Christopher North "that ever
sung, wrote, or composed, the first, in my
opinion, is verify none other than Thomas
Meore." Lord Byron, the greatest English
poet since Milton, named three of the Melodies
which he preferred to all the epics ever writ
len. Moore, therefore, is the one great poet of
Sale Monthly.