The Washington herald., 1910-04-10

toral Ballad" which are exception
ally good verses for one so young.
He spent most OF the summer of
1898 in the United States. STAYING
for a considerable time in PhnadeI-
phia.
Moore was as popular in his day
as either Byron or Scott. As poet
his fame now rests mostly upon his
Irish Melodies" and National
Airs" Since the EIzabethan age
the lyric had been dissociating it
self from music. Moore again unit
ed them and so completely that it
is unfair TO estimate his lyrics in
dependently. They are light. airy.
and graceful, though without the
passion Of Byron or Shelley.
1t is said that Moore. from early
youth was susceptible TO musical
impressions. and it Is recorded that
he showed all the evidence of
childish delight at being permitted
TO astOnish the company at the
house of a certain Miss Dodd. by
grinding out music from little
barrel organ whilst concealed. IN
der a table.
Moore studied music for consid-
cradle time and learned to play the
piano sufficiently well 10 accompany
himself in the singing of his songs.
His voice. il is said. was not par
ticularly pleasant and was def
cient in physical power. but incom-
parable as musical recitation Not
infreQuently were his hearers NOV
ed TO tears. which the bard himself
could. with difficulty. restrain.
\. P. Willis says: 7 have no
time to describe his tMoore's) sing
ing; its effect is only equaled by his
own words. for one could have
taken him to my heart with de-
light"
Leigh Hunt describes him as PLAY
ing with great taste on the piano
and compares his voice as he sang
to flute softened down TO mere
breathing. Sir Walter Scott calls
him the 'prettiest warbler 7 have
ever heard. while Byron. almost
equally deficient in musical appre-
citation, was moved to tears by his
singing.
1t is recorded that on attempting
to sing his song. There's a Song
or the Olden Time" a favorIte dit
ty of his father, for the first time
after the latter's death. he broke
down and had to quit the room.
sobbing cOnvulsively.
The piano upon which he plaved.
and which is dated 1908. is now in
The National Museum. Dublin.
Probably no poet or man of let
-ers has ever attained such popu-
arity as Moore. or such loving ce-
ebrity among his very rivals. Some
IF his works have been translated
INTO the French, Russian. Polish.
and other languages of Europe. and
MS Oriental verse has been rendered
INTO Persian and actually sung in
he streets of Ispahan.
Richard Alfred Milliken. who
wrote The Groves Of Barney" was
BORN at Castlemartyr, County Cork
ireland. on September s. 1857, and
lied in that city on December Is.
IS15, and was buried with public
uneral at Douglas. near Cork.
There are various readings of his
Groves" the rebellion Having
given rise to some scurrilous addi-
ions to the original. and a version
5 printed in THE Reliques Of
Father Prout" The song was fire.
Iuently sung on the stage by the
lder Charles Mathews.
Other of Milliken's lyrics which
igure In Irish anthologies are the
Groves of dc Pool" and Had
he Tun Which Baechus Used" In
S9S a volume of "Poetical Frag-
nents Of the Late Richard Alfred
with memoir and por-
RAFT was published in London By
Neither the Groves
f Blarney" nor the Groves of de
'ool' is included.
: Press" Comrany.l