Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-05-28

certainly won a prize for an English
poem, and in 1899 took his degree OF B.
A. His statue was afterward placed not
far from Grattan's, without the rails,
while those of Burke and Goldsmith
were within. 1t was during his student
DAYS also that he first showed that vivid
interest in politics which never deserted
him, and the complexion of his youth
ful enthusiasm may easily be imagined
from the susceptibility OF his young
mind and the fact that he was constant
associate of Robert Emmett. Emmett
himself was executed soon after the
abOrtiye rising in 1903, and the verses IN
which Moore afterward cOmmemorated
his friend derive an additional interest
because they were sung TO tune which
tie poet had often played for the young
enthusiast in their college days, and be-
cause some of the closing stanZas refer
To Emmet's deep-seated love for Sarah
Curren, the daughter of the great ora
tor:
"Oh, breathe not his name, let it sleep in the
shade,
Where cold and uuhouored his relics are laid
Sad, silent and dark be the tears which we
As the night dew that falls on the grass DER
his head"
In one respect, giving him a splendid
vantage ground for his entrance into the
world of literature, Moore, politics aside,
had made excellent use OF his OppOrtu-
mites at the University. As early as
February, 1874, a paraphrase Of An
acreOn's Fifth Ode from his pen had APP
peared in the D,,blm NagG:ne, and as
the muse OF the old Greek appealed so
strongly to his own fancy he had so dill
gently. studied all his works and numer-
Gus commentaries upon them, in both
EngliShhnd Italian that when he left Ire
land for London, in 1899, he had transla-
ted nearly all the Odes. His labOrs, as
he himself tells us in one of his many
preiaceS, were carried on in the old
library adjoining st. Patrick's Cathe-
dral, and also by the advice and assist
ance OF the Rev. Mr.. CradOck, the AS
sstant Librarian. With his manu-
script then, and the intention OF keep
ing his term in preparation Tor the
English bar at the Middle Temple, he
arrived in London in 1899, and was for
tunate enough to secure the friendship
OF Lord. MORA, and, partly by his help,
TO bring out his AnaCrcOn upon large
subscribtion list in 1900.
In 1903, somewhat unfortunately for
his future fame, Moore was appointed
Registrar to the Court of Bermuda. His
duties involved an attention TO detail
and accounts for which he was entirely
unfit. Added to this ne devoted most
OF his time until he returned to Eng
land. in the late autumn OF 1904, to
travels in the United States and Canada.
Ii was during his trip down the Ottawa
that ne wrote his famous Canadian boat
song, "Faintly Tolls the Evening
Chime" and literally sang at st. AIMS
his Evening Hymn"
After his return he resided for a short
time in France; but all his money trOu-
bles with the Government having been
arranged. he was enabled in 1907 to
commence the publication OF his most
popular, and perhaps his greatest work,
the Irish Melodies. Mr.. Edward Bunt-
inc. of Armagh, a musician distinguish
ell i'm his dav, had made collection of
the ancient music OF Ireland, which he
afterward published. Moore procured
a copy. and it supplied him with the
airs he wanted. Sir John Stevenson, OF
Dublin, agreed to arrange them, and
Mr.. Power, music publisher, induced
Moore To write the words. The first
ten Melodies appeared in 1907, and the
last of all about twenty-seven years al
terward. Their success was assured
from the first, and sweet as tier
RHYTHM, and sometimes almost luclous
as their meditation is, they had no
light influence upon the politics OF the
age. 1t is certain that contemporary
statesmen recognized their political el-
feet, but it is unquestionably eXagger-
atcd bv his warmeSt admirers. There
is. however, no doubt that Moore rem
dered good service in the liberal meas
use of Catholic Emancipation, which
was at last carried in 1929, through the
advice in Pertinent OF the Duke OF Wei
lington.
The Melodies at once placed Moore
upon lofty pinnacle in the temple OF
fame. lie was, above all, loved in Ire
land. and there ne met Miss Bessie
Dyke at some private theatricalS at kll-
kenny. and made her his bride in 1911.
She was a Protestant and the children
bv the marriage were brought up
Professionals. Speaking OF this, Lord
Russell, his biographer, says;
"Yet he always adhered to the Roman
Catholic Church, and, when in London,
attended the Roman Catholic Chapel in
Warwick street. His answer to per-
son who tried to convert him to Protes-
tantism was nearly in these terms: 4
was born and bred in the faith Of my
fathers, and in that faith | intend to
die.
\ later reviewer, writing upon the
same subject, says;
"Thc fact about his religion seems to
be that, although convinced of the truth
of Catholicism, ne cared little or moth
inc practically for any form OF belief,
and was satisfied with himself when his
heart was touched, or when religious
music brought tears to his eyes.
I'm Wiltshire he attended Protestant
Church; but he has written brilliantly,
and not without eruditiOn, OF the church
Of his mother and his youth.
His marriage does not seem to have
intcriergd with his literary activity, and
i'm 1918 he began 20 write political artl-
clcs for the chief liberal organ, the
Norai,g Chronicle. In 1871 he also first
conceived the plan of I.alla Rookh, which
he probably began in 1872. He was
then living with his young wife, Bessie,
at MarytieId Cottage, in DerbyShirC, not
fur from Lord Morras seat, and his
friends magnificent library was freely
placed at his disposal Moore's imagi-
nation was great and his fancy fertile,
but for a poem like this, cleaning with
all the splcndor of Oriental imagery,
Study was of course necessary, and 1t
did not appear until late in 1917, when
it was Immediately welcomed in most
laudatory review by the same Jeffrey
whose singing sarcasm had some years
before called forth a challenge and
the singular duel of 1906. Moore, it is
said, intended in its pages to convey the
tbe snirit of an Irish allegOrv in East