The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-17
Pen Portrait of Tom Moore.
Temple Bar.

llemple Bar
 In appearance Moore was not impos- ing He was very small Nugee, the fashionable tailor Of his day, told him, There's not much of you, sir, and there fore my object must be to make the most of you l cAn." Moore thought an artist could not produce good portrait of him owing to the difficulty ot catching "my mobility of character in my round potato face" His restlessness was extreme. Gerald Grittin depicts him as Ca little man, but full of spirits, with eyes, hands, feet, and frame forever in motion, look ing as if 1t would be d feat for him to sit for three minutes quiet in his chair" Luttrell told Moore that he was like a litle brigtt, ever-moving ball of quick silver 1t st'l! eludes you, and it glitters still"
 A small volume, published in New York, contains letter rom MT John c Drlscol to MT, Power, describing Moore when he visited Cork in tS22 He was then standing on the rlvers Oank, about to embark for Cove.
 As you well know, Moore dresses with peculiar neatness, and looked that morning. think, particularly we'll in his smart white hat, kid gloves, brown frock- coat, yellow cashmere waist-c coat, gray duck troasers. and blue sllk handkerchief carelesslg secured in tcont by silver pin |; he carried boat cloak on one arm, and walked with a brown silk umbrella. for which, however, he had no requirement. as the morning was bright, bilmy, and beaa!iful-' quite be lutitu', as he him. Selt observed to me"
 Judging from this account, his costume was as variesa ated as the most horid of his verses. His coun.rymen always gave him cordial welcome, and when he vis- ited an Irish theatre, he was commonly called upon to make a speech to the audience. He caudidly admits how pleas ant this was to him. Only once did his popularity afford him nearly as much pam as gratihcation. The incident can not be better told than in his own words. It occurred in Septenb Der, IS2S, when the poet was leaving k,rgs.own in the packet
 " A party of ladies who had dined on board, on my being made known to them. almost deVoured me with kindness, and at length proceeded so far as to insist on each Of them kissing me At this time was beginning to feel the first rliments of coming sickness, and the effort to re- sPond to all this enthusiasm, in such a state of stom Ch, was not little awk- ward and trying. However, kissed the whole party (about five, think in suc- Cession, two or three ot them being. for my comfort, young aud good looking and was most glad to get away from them to my berth, which, though the kindness ot the cap:ain (E nerson). was in his own cabin. But had hardly shut the door feeling very qualmish, and m ,st glad to have got over this osculatory operation, when there came gentle tap at the docr, and an elderly lady made her appearance, who sad that having heard of all that had been going on, she could not rest easy without being kissed as well as the rest S,, in the most re- sPectus manner possible. I compiled with the lady's request, and thea betook myself with heav!ng stomach to my berth
 While Moore WIS popular in Ireland for his poetry and his patriotism, his pop uiari,y III tue fashionable circles of Lon don, winch he loved to frequent, was largely due to his singing of the Irish hA~AC0tSS' A'JiOh WiObC CuNhAStdSkA Akly about these melodie; when they first ap. peared, saying, To me some of Moore's l,st Er'n soarks, AS Beam OCT the Face of the Waters When He Who Adores Thee 'Oh. Blame not and 'Oh, Breathe not His Name are worth all the epics that ever were composed" Again: Moore is one of the few writers who will survive the age in which he so deservedly f1ourishes. lie will survive in his Irish melodies They will go down to posterity with the music; both will last as long as Ireland, or as music and poetry" Sydney Smith wrote to Moore "l swear that had rather hear you sing than any person ever heard in my life, male or female. For what is your sing ing but beautiful poetry, floating in fine music, and guided by exquisite feeling?" The charm of his singing died with him. but his songs remain as masterpieces of delicate and beautiful poetry.