The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-12

about 1895. So it is i'll modern by the
critic latterday Judgment Prof Mimic
writing several years eafliet--pfoba-
| bly, by 1SS5-held that there was but
very little poetry in it, land it is tire
| some" Thousands of readers less
gifted and exacting, have found this
rich Oriental story or poem replete
with interest and charm His Loves
| of the Angels" a second Oriental
poem is below "Lalla Rookh'' in
| merit. OF course it has a certain in
| terest, for it is beautiful and mag
NATIVE in places, while being artificial
and too modern as a whole, but it
never added to his reputation and
will not help to retain or resurrect
| his popularity.
/ remember reading with great in
| terest when | was yet in my teens,
Moore's life of Byron. The copy
now have is in two ponderous volumes
of the quarto size. 1t is highly eu-
logistic of the great poet who really
had no rival as popular writer of
verse. 1t does credit to Moore :
breadth and sincerity, writing as he
does without a faint of jealousy or
rivalry but with the penetration of
the critic, and with the gentleness and
enthusiasm of a friend. He wrote a
prose romance he called 1.-THE Epi-
curean, of which / never read q line
1t was regarded as beautiful, and al
most unique. sixty years ago. 1t is a
tale "of antique manners, the scene
being laid among primitive Christians
affirmed, in curious conditions, and
overflows with ornaments. While
neither so original nor powerful
genius as Byron, his warm, personal
friend, he did much to preserve his
memory from decay. Mr.. Krans sage
in the New York saturday Review"
Moore himself set no great store
by his long poems. His own judg
ment as to the relative merits of the
Melodies and Lalla' has been finally
Endorsed by criticism. In race to
future times, Cf anything of mine can
pretend to such run Moore wrote
to Longman. those little ponies. the
Melodies will beat the mare Lalla'
hollow !"
Taine writing about 1869. shows
meagre appreciation of Moore, thinks
him dashing and smart, but not
poet or much of a one. But l stand
by what | have written and copied
from others. / would like to help in
restoring Moore to his proper place
among men of genius, and to give him
the right position as a poet, a wit, a
satirist. a biographer, writer of
many gifts. That once popular critic,
the Scotchman, Rev. George Gilfillan,
between 1910 and 1850, wrote OF
Moore: Ito be the poet par excellence
of Ireland, the cleverest man in the
cleverest nation in the world is to
hold no mean position, and that posi-
ton we claim for Thomas Moore" He
held that he was "a poet by tempera-
ment, and by intellect a wit AS to
his poetry he said that it lacked deep
earnestness and a high purpose" and
hot l., fssI
fillan said that mo more trivial is the
dance of a fairy in the pale shine OF
the moon, than are a majority of his
poems" He says he 'fiits and f1utters,
and leaps, and runs, a very Peri" but
he is rich in beauties and conceits
His fancy is prodigious in quantity
and variety, and is as elegant as it is
abundant" He says Moore must sur
Yive as a wit and a Satirist but he
lacked the cool, concentrated maligni-
ty of Juvenal and Junius. "He tickles
his opponent to death, they tear him
to pieces. His arrows are polished:
theirs are poisoned. His malice is
that of man. theirs is that of a de-
mon" Gilfllan is happy, pointed and
candid in his criticism of the Oriental
and other poems. He thinks highly of
the literary execution" of his by
ron," and says it is "clear, chaste. dig
nified, manly, and eloquent and dis
He wrote also a "His-
tory of Ireland" Whatever the judg-
ment of Moores productions may be,
1t is universally conceded that he was
a very true, manly man, and had the
and confidence of ALL
thinks that Moore is really
"easily first in the sentimental song
to music" as he ST Sin his delightful
satirical verse" Moore spent his last
years in vain effort to write a His
tory of Ireland" that would meet the
necessities of his native land, and give
credit to himself. While the work
failed, and is really unknown now, the
fact that he was a patriot of a pro-
found type is seen in this devotion to
Ireland in his closing years. Mimic
recognizes this attempted service. and
says that this gives us a higher idea
of his character" He had much |
genuine stuff in him, and was as true
in friendships as he was devoted in
patriotism" Mimic comedies that he |
was a genuine patriot and a most ex-
emplary son and husband. 1t will be |
a long time, if it should ever come, |
before his true and faithful country
men shall lose their interest in Thorn |
as Moore, the Man, the Patriot, and |
the Poet, and allow their appreciation |
of his grandest, sweetest, most inspir- |
ing Irish Melodies to die amid the |
wastes and silences of decayed and |
dishonored nation. May Ireland my |
darling" be saved from such Gala |
mityi
Here is little poem, by whom |
know not, that is worth copying here, |
for its tenderness and suggestiveness:
fancy l catch through the gateway !,
A glimpse of the golden street,
And an echo of wonderful music,
Mystic, and low, and sweet,
Comes on the winds of sunset
From the country far away.
Where the dear, remembered voices,
Sing in Gods choir today
Among the more gifted and distin- |
guished living men in my native North |
Carolina, there is not one who COM |
mands more of my respect, confidence, |
Il 49, -. Il -.