Notes from Autograph Letters of Thomas Moore to Mr Power
The Suppressed Preface to the second Number of the Irish Melodies.
“Of the Melodies contained in this number, there are a few which have long been familiar to the world, hut they are so beautiful and so authentic that the collection would be incomplete without them; besides it is hoped that the novelty of their present arrangement will, in some degree, remove that triteness which their popularity has given them. The other Melodies are but little known, and many of them though suited to poetry, and the voice, by the regularity of their form, and the limits of their compass, are now for the first time associated with English words.
“The value of those airs, which Sir John Stevenson has harmonized, is considerably enhanced by the skill and elegance with which their parts and accompaniments are managed; and they lead us to think, by the facility with which they admit of such arrangement, that our Melodies, in general, from indulging less in those irregular intervals, those mutilations of the scale which characterize the old Scotch music, are much more amenable than the latter to the laws of harmony and counterpoint.
“With respect to the verses which I have here written for this work, as they are intended rather to be sung than read, I can answer for their sound, with somewhat more safety than their sense; yet it would be affectation to deny that I have given much attention to the task, and that it is not through want of zeal or industry, if I unfortunately disgrace the sweet airs of my country, by poetry altogether unworthy of their taste, their energy, and their tenderness.
“Our history, for many centuries past, is creditable neither to our neighbours nor ourselves, and ought not to be read by any Irishman who wishes either to love England or to feel proud of Ireland. The loss of independence very early debased our character, and our feuds, though frequent and ferocious, but seldom displayed that generous spirit of enterprise with which the pride of an independent monarchy so long dignified the struggles of Scotland. It is true, this island has given birth to heroes, who, under more favourable circumstances, might have left in the hearts of their countrymen recollections as dear as those of a Bruce or a Wallace : but success was wanting to consecrate resistance, their cause was branded with the disheartening name of treason, and their oppressed country was such a blank among nations, that like the adventures of those woods which Rinaldo wished to explore, the fame of their actions was lost in the obscurity of the place where they achieved them -
Errando in quelli boschi
Trovar potria strane avventure, e molte;
Ma come i luoghi, i fatti ancor son foschi,
Che non se n’ha notizia le piu volte.
-Ariosto, Canto iv.
“Hence it is that the annals of Ireland, through a long lapse of six hundred years, exhibit not one of those themes of national pride, from which poetry borrows her noblest inspiration; and that history which ought to be the richest garden of the Muse, yields nothing to her but weeds and cypress ! In truth, the poet who would embellish his song with allusions to Irish names and events, must be content to seek them in those early periods when our character was yet unalloyed and original, before the impolitic craft of our conquerors had divided, weakened, and disgraced us; and the only traits of heroism which he can venture at this day to commemorate, with safety to himself or perhaps with honour to the country, are to be looked for in those times when the native monarchs of Ireland displayed and fostered virtues worthy of a better age; when our Malachies wore collars of gold which they had won in single combat from the invader, (see Warner, Book 9, Vol. I.) and our Brians deserved the blessings of a people, by all the most estimable qualities of a king. It may be said indeed that the magic of tradition has shed a charm over this remote period, to which it is, in reality, but little entitled; and that most of the pictures which we dwell on so fondly, of days when this island was distinguished amidst the gloom of Europe by the sanctity of her morals, the spirit of her knighthood, and the polish of her schools, are little more than the inventions of national partiality - that bright but spurious offspring which vanity begets upon ignorance - and with which the first records of every people are obscured. But, the sceptic is scarcely to be envied who would pause for stronger proofs than we already possess of the early glories of Ireland; and were even the veracities of all these proofs surrendered, yet who would not fly to such flattering fictions from the sad degrading truths which the history of latter times presents to us?
“The language of sorrow, however, is, in general, best suited to our music, and with themes of this nature the poet may be amply supplied. There is not a page of our annals which cannot afford him a subject; and while the National Muse of other countries adorns her temple with trophies of the past, in Ireland, her altar, like the shrine of Pity at Athens, is to be known only by the tears that are shed upon it; ‘Lacrymis altaria sudant (Statius. Thebiad, lib. 12.)
” Dublin, October, 1807.”
One Letter, 4to. 28th December, 1808. Proposal to sell two or three Songs
One Letter, 4to. 13th May, 1809
“I think, indeed, between ourselves, that the next two Numbers will be all that ever shall come from my pen.”
The FIRST AND SECOND NUMBER OF THE IRISH MELODIES APPEARED IN 1807; THE THIRD IN 1810; AND THE FOURTH in November, 1811.
Three Letters, 4to. 20th February, 7th March, 8th May, 1810
”The Song which I wrote for Braham did not succeed at all.” Presentation copies of the third number of the Irish Melodies to be sent to Miss Rogers, Mrs. Perry, Jeffrey, and Leigh Hunt.” “Will you have the goodness to go to Sherwood and Neely, Paternoster-row, and get for me Mr. Keough’s pamphlet on the Veto, Sir J. C. Hippesley’s Bill, and the Resolutions of the Bishops in 1799.” “The only work I have proposed to your Brother is one in the book line, which he told me he had communicated with you about, and I have yet to hear the result of your agreement with him.” “Your brother tells me that you expressed your willingness to join him in the publication of my Irish Poetical Miscellany. I think between you it may be made something of, and would be a very creditable beginning to any bookselling plan you may think of. I have bid Carpenter sent you a copy of a little Pamphlet which I have published here and in London - it is already in a second edition here, and takes very flatteringly.” Two Letters, 4to. Jenkinstown, Kilkenny, 22nd and 31st August, 1810 Projected Irish Poetical Miscellany. Sends another duett, &c. I look forward to our doing something grand together in the musical way, when I return to London - for London, certainly, is the only Theatre for such things, and once I am settled there again, I shall not easily be tempted away from it.”
Three Letters, 4to. 10th November, (two) 3rd December, 1810 Money arrangements “to pioneer his way through the streets of London.” At the Hen and Chickens, Birmingham, on his way to 27, Bury Street, London.
One Letter ( marked “Private” ), 8vo. Thursday. Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 143.
Two Letters, 4to. and one 8vo. Monday, 22nd June, (1811?) and 31st December, 1811 Moore’s father’s bill for £22. “I want to ask your advice about something.” “I am in town to-day to dine with Lord Moira, but after to-morrow I am buried alive. I have just received my freedom of Covent Garden from Mr. Harris.”
Two Letters, 4 to. Kegworth, 21st May, 1812
Non-arrival of a box of candles. “I know you will be ready to do any thing towards my illumination, and certainly the loss of our best candles is the most gloomy privation that could happen to us.” “The Piano Forte has just arrived, and you shall soon have good tidings from it.”
One Letter, folio, Wednesday, (30th May, 1812)
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 171, with an erroneous date, as the post mark proves, of seven days, and with the following omission, “Will you have the goodness to tell Mrs. Peneaud (some time when you are passing) that I have found the Paper I missed”
Three Letters, 4to. one franked by Lord Glenbervie, 16th July, 9th and 13th August, 1812
” The Quarterly gives us a great lift.”
Two Letters, 4to. 19th and 3 1 st August, 1812
“I hope you have read Curran’s beautiful panegyric on Lord Moira in his speech at the late dinner. I suppose you know that Lord Fingall and Lord Killeen have at the County Meath meeting very warmly atoned for and explained away the
reflections cast upon Lord Moira at Dublin, one by a most flattering resolution in praise of him.” “My friends the Hamiltons you see are returned from America.”
One Letter, 4to. 14th December, 1812
John Moore (the Poet’s Father) draws by order of his son Thomas Moore, on Mr. Power for 5625 at 61 days.
“Stevenson has written to me from Sandbach to say that he is more than ever disposed to settle in London, and that if any one would secure him three hundred a year he would stay.”
Two Letters, 4to. (one of two sides) 1812. Wednesday
“You shall hear from me from Lord Moira’s, whither I am just setting out to walk, making in all near twelve miles.”
“My mind will not be perfectly at ease till I know how you wish me to act with respect to your brother’s share of the annuity; for I find I must have at least a hundred pounds more this year, and it is only for you to say whether I shall draw upon him or you for it. My rent to Stevenson and Mrs. Owen, my half year’s taxes, this debt to Colonel Hamilton (which is of itself forty pounds), all pull upon me this month, and therefore, though I should like much to go to town, both for my own business and the advantage of meeting Stevenson I am afraid it would not be prudent to go to the expense. Though I hope to leave a hundred of this year towards getting free of your brother, yet my expenditure altogether will fall very little short of five hundred pounds (including the other resources I have had) which is much more than I counted upon -however, now that Ellen and our neighbours the Moiras are gone, we shall be able to retrench better.”
One Letter, 4to. Thursday, 3 o’clock
“As Mosey M’Gill says * single misfortunes never come alone.’ I had no sooner got over the annoyance of conversing and writing upon your business with your brother than I received by the Post an attorney’s letter, &c.” “Your brother dines
with us and sets off in the evening. For God sake get over your differences, if you can. I feel at this instant, (tho’ the woman that has thus acted is only my aunt by marriage) how dreadful and disgusting a family feud is.”
Four Letters, two 4to. and two 8vo. Donington Park, Friday. Kegworth, Friday, the two on note paper, undated
” I write only to say that I cannot write, as I am in the hiidst of the bustle of this place, where we came on Tuesday last with Rogers, who paid us a visit on Sunday last.” “I wish you joy of your injunction.” “On Sunday I left Donington with Rogers and went on to Matlock, poor Bessy not being able after the fatigues and ceremonies of the week to come with us. From Matlock we went to Dovedale, and I was much delighted with the scenery of both places, though not a little happy to get away from them all and return to my own quiet home.” “It will most certainly be throwing away the scabbard with your brother,”
One Letter, 4to. (two sides), Friday. Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 176.
One Letter, 8vo. Thursday. Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 177. “You need not send me the Examiner any more,” omitted by his Lordship.
One Letter, 4to. (two sides), Friday, June (12) 1812
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 178. The following lines after the signature omitted by his Lordship.
“I have just recollected that on this day the money for our Nurse’s child is due. Will you take the trouble of going to Mrs. Wright and asking whether there has been any answer to the letter I wrote to Wiltshire upon this subject since I came here ? If not I must sent up the money immediately -pray do this if you can to-morrow. My remembrances to Mr. Benison \_Mr. Power s head clerk], I rather think he liked the Tyrolese
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Air as I have done it. It ought to be favourite, and I shall dedicate it to Miss Rawdon.”
One Letter, 4to. Thursday night
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 179. One Letter, 4to. Wednesday (August 13, 1812)
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 187. His Lordship has appended an erroneous critical note upon the alterations in the second verse as made in this Manuscript, reflecting upon Mr. Power’s accuracy of character as a Publisher. For “She is lovely [Printed by Lord John Russell
” lovel,” vol. i. p. 298.]
- then love her! through joy and through pain,
Though life has but one happy season,
Thus Love had advised, and Til always maintain,” &c. The passages in italics standing as originally written by Mr. Moore.
One Letter, 8vo. (with inclosure), no date
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 188. Five lines at top omitted by his Lordship. “We got the Fish aud the Rose - many thanks! I must trouble you to pay the postage on the letters I inclose, and to send the parcel to Broad-street carefully.” One Letter, 4to. Wednesday (October 1st, 1812)
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 196.
One Letter, 4to. (two sides), Tuesday
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 199. Four lines after the signature omitted by his Lordship. “Stevenson is a shabby fellow, and I quite give him up. Of course you will not mention to your brother that I have sent you his letter, but it was the shortest way of letting you know its contents.”
One Letter, 4to. (November 12, 1812)
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 204.
One Letter, 4to. (two sides), Langley Priory, Thursday
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 206, and by his Lordship dated November 18, 1812. This bears in Mr. Power’s writing in pencil, “Dec. 18, 1813.” And Lord John Russell has omitted the following passage from the body of this letter, after “express to you,” [writing as I do while Mr. Gardiner the Sacred Melodist is screaming at my elbow] “how,”
&c. And “Lord Tamworth came here yesterday, and we had a desperate drinking bout of it,” with two more lines after the signature. “You will not get this till Saturday, but I daresay between this and then I shall hear from you.”
One Letter, 4to. (three sides), Tuesday.
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 207
One Letter, 4 to. franked by Lord Glenbervie (December *3rd, 1812). Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 211.
One Letter, 4to. (two sides), Kegworth
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 212.
One Letter, 4 to. (two sides), Sunday, (Dec. 21st, 1812)
Printed in Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 213, but without the “above” Musical Notations of Moore to his words,
” When the calm sun, at close of day,” and the “Merrily oh ! Merrily oh ! “to a Tyrolese air, with the memo. “As I first had it - but in the slow part it may be left as Stevenson altered it.”
Four Letters, 4to. (one of two sides), 1st, 9th, 23rd, and
January, 1813
“Many happy new years to you, and may each succeeding one give only more strength to our alliance, and more brightness to our prospects!” Mentions his “flute playing friend the parson.” - “I find my Father wants a little more of me, till after he has disposed of his house, which he hopes to do to advantage.” “I can guess what your brother means by telling you
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he had written to me instead of answering you on the subject himself. I told him that I should draw but one hundred of his portion last year (1812) and let the remainder go towards the discharge of my debt - immediately after you sent him the account of what he owed you towards the annuity, he wrote to remind me of this, and begged I would explain it to you. I answered him that I certainly would - that I did not know how far I might have exceeded the hundred, but that I was in hopes I should so arrange whatever excess there might be as to keep his share within my promised arrangement. Now, my dear Sir, as I am in some degree committed to him upon the point, and as I dare say the burden of paying him off will at last fall in some shape or other upon you, it will perhaps not be inconvenient to you to separate the hundred from whatever excess there is above it, and I will draw upon him for the latter as early in this year as you chuse. This you will observe keeps strictly within my promise of not exceeding a hundred of his portion for 1812, and it is perhaps the most easy and gradual way of his discharging his debt. I hope I have made myself intelligible in this - he will not hesitate sending you the hundred, I think, instantly.”
Five Letters, 4to. (3 of two sides), 12th, 15th, 1 7th, 25th, and
- January, 1813
Relate chiefly to matters of account between Mr. Power and his brother. One contains three verses for a song “To thee, my Lute.” “I am doing words to the Rose-tree. I hope you have not engraved ‘Oh had I a bright little Isle/ as I must put a totally new set of words to it.” rt My aunt’s business is a sad blow (together with your brother’s) to me., Do not you trouble yourself about me, however, as I shall be able to disentangle myself without laying hold of your skirts this time. I have, you may be assured, no other old money transactions in such diabolical hands as hers.”
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Stamped receipt for £500 in Mr. Moore’s autograph, folio, 6th March, 1813 This receipt was given to Mr. James Power for an annual payment according to deed of 1811, for the copyright of the 5th number of the Irish Melodies, and the following songs.
” Oh see those Cherries.” A Ballad
” Oh fair ! oh purest.” A Sacred Song
”Joys that pass away.” A Duett
” Oh forget that you ever were mine.” A Ballad
”A Finland Song for three voices”
” Oh remember the time.” A Song
” The Tyrolese Song of Liberty.”
” From life without freedom*” A Song and “The Song of War.” One Letter, 4 to. (two sides), 1 1th March, 1813
A very interesting letter upon a variety of subjects. “Those two amiable persons your brother and my aunt.” “How unjust I was to feel any chill from a letter which contained such a proof of your unabated anxiety and interest about me - but it was all hippishness” “The Vignette I think very pretty, and very well engraved.” “Have you any objection to my substituting something better for ‘One bumper at parting?’ Bessy is keeping herself up for Patrick’s Day, which was the day her own original calculations brought her to - only an old maid set her astray, who could, of course, know nothing of the matter. If he comes on the 17th he must certainly be called Pat.” Four Letters, 4to. 3rd, 8th, 10th, and 30th April, 1813
tl I am trying again to enrich the number by attempting good words to ‘Savournen Deelish.’ “” I think the Wood-pecker a very poor thing, indeed, but it seems to take wonderfully, - I wish I could write such popular things for you my dear Sir - with all my heart I wish it aud I must try - perhaps I may succeed.” * c Direct to me, Oakhanger Hall, Sandbach, Cheshire.”
” Bessy said laughingly the other night, that your brother
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would come dow?i on me for ‘Down, Deny, Down,’ in the Post Bag - but though this of course was nonsense, yet it set me thinking seriously how I am to manage about my poem, which will be full of songs, and the words of which I must not, at least I ought not, sell to any one else. What’s to be done about this ? I wish you and I had our Shop and the whole difficulty would be removed.” “Cowan has just arrived without Sir John, which is a great mortification to us all, but he swears as soon as the Cathedral visitation is over, he will come.” “The Dean arrived to-day and looked black about the will - but I hope she may defy him.” “In about six or seven days you shall see me.”
Three Letters, 4to. (one of two sides), 8th, 17th, and 22nd
June, 1813
” We shall not for a few days longer, be able to sleep in our cottage, so that I am still kept from business, except what my sauntering meditations about the fields produce. I think your idea about my having a dramatic piece in view, while I am employed about my poem (founded upon the story of the Poem, retaining the songs connected with it, and prepared so as to appear soon after it) is a very excellent thought, and I shall certainly act upon it.” “With respect to the time for the Songs you have mentioned, it may be
Oh ! doubt me not - ivith feeling and cheerfulness.
One bumper at parting- with animation.
The valley lay smiling - in moderate time, (or, I should prefer) - ‘according to the feeling of each verse.
I do not know the original name of * the Rose Tree.’ “
Four Letters, three 4 to. one 8vo., 14th August, 13th, 18th,
and 25th September, 1813
“We were last night surprised by a visit from the Widow
Cheshire (as Bessy has very well Christened Mrs. Ready) - she
rode over here from Buxton, where she has been with old
Cowan and his daughter - twenty-two miles in four hours! -
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she goes away again to-morrow. As the Knight is faithless, she has a lover out in South America, whom she meditates going to. Tell this to Mrs. Power, it will make her laugh. On Friday you shall have one of the old things I promised you.”
“I have written your brother a simple and true statement of our motives in announcing the close of the Irish Melodies, and have told him that the suggestion came entirely from me. I also expressed what I felt at his extraordinary charge of my having entered into a conspiracy with you against him.” - (i I have done the new words to Young Jessica, and have made, I think, a pretty duett of it.”
”I am getting on much better than ever with my poem.” sl Is there any chance of your concluding a bargain with Bunting soon ? His airs would be a great treasure to us.”
” I am but just returned home, for Sir C. Hastings (Lord Moira’s cousin) laid hold of us at Donington, and carried us off to his place.” “I think it will be prudent to remain here till by the finishing of my Poem I am enabled to clear off all old debts, and start free with you in a literary partnership which is the main and chief object I look to for both our interests.”
” I inclose a letter from Martin the Tallow Chandler - he is Mrs. Pineaud’s agent, and she having gone to Scotland, I have some business with him about a Bill I gave her for rather a long standing debt - these are the things that pull me back, but, please heaven! next year will see me rid of them all.”
”My Bermuda business is turning in nothing at all.” “We have walked all the way to-day, Hornsey, Highgate, and home, and I am a little tired.” “I had just written out the Preface (which I have been these two days cutting down, altering, and re-touching) when I perceived something in it, which I thought still required correction.” I have had another application from Murray about my Poem, but I shall as you advise keep it unencumbered. I have told him that when it is finished, the highest bidder shall have it.”
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Three Letters, two 4to. } one Svo., 6th, 9th, and 12th October, 1813, one sealed with a lyre with Tibi under it
” I think either of the titles you have sent will do, therefore chuse the one you think most attractive. If I should say either, it is the one ‘Oh remember the time/ as I do not much like * celebrated’ - it is a little too puffing, but chuse which you like. As to the title of the songs, it would perhaps be better ’A Collection of the Vocal Music of Thomas Moore, Esq.’ “’ ‘If you have not received a Memorandum from Carpenter about my cocked hat, and should get this in time on Wednes day, send it by the evening’s coach.”
Three Letters, 4to. (two of three sides), 1st, 10th, and 23rd November, 1813
” Shall you have any objection to defer printing, ‘Oh fair ! oh purest !’ till the Poem comes out ? as I could introduce it, and that will give it more effect. I am getting on famously. I have seen the Monthly Review of the Melodies, it is a great thing in our favour- only that it makes me nervous about the goodness of the numbers that are coming. I am told the celebrated Madame de Stael is one of the most industrious puffers of the Melodies. I saw them blazoned out in a Jamaica paper the other day, ‘A few copies of the Irish Melodies just arrived.’ “” Will you have the goodness to send the Manuscript of the Dram- atic Publican I left with you to him as soon as possible with the inclosed note.” “I have now shut up for the winter, and have had the courage not to return any one of the dinners that were made for us on our coming into the neighbourhood. We now go no where, but to a very pleasant family within a mile of us, and I fear the winter will block us up even from this communication. I like your idea of keeping ‘Oh fair, oh purest!’ for a set of sacred songs exceedingly, and the possibility of making such a work very interesting between Stevenson and me, struck me so much that I set to and wrote the following words for it,
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which I am sure you will like.” Here follow three verses, with momentary corrections of “This world is all a fleeting show.”
” I like these as well as anything I have written - but do not give them to Stevenson yet, as I mean first to try them myself.”
” But the delicate situation in which I am placed between you, and the danger I fear there is lest the world should suspect I stood quietly by, taking advantage of the dissention of two brothers, and leaning to the side that is most for my interest; this fear it is that haunts me, and makes me anxious to tell you what I have all along felt and thought upon the subject.” * * * “However our bond may secure us in the eye
of the law, I would sooner throw it into the fire and myself after it than produce it against that letter which your brother returned to me.” “I need only mention that when I asked my friend Rogers’s advice about it, he declared against it - not on account of any unfairness there appeared to him in it (for he did not know all the circumstances), but from the idea of a man of business that two names to a deed were better than one.” “I have hardly made this legible, as I have been running after every coach in expectation of Stevenson - at last I saw his name in the Guard’s list, with ‘Failed’ opposite to it. Failed indeed ! Tell him he may stay where he is. We had a blazing fire in his bed-room, and our best breakfast on the table for him - but he shall meet a cold reception whenever he chuses to come after this. I did not mean to make this a long letter.” Two Letters, 4to. 4th and 16th December, 1813
“With reference to Advertisement in Mr. Power’s x^utograph corrected by Mr. Moore, inclosed, the latter says - “You will perceive it is your own, with a very few alterations, I could not improve upon it; and I think as Bonaparte has beaten his antagonists into heroes, I shall write you into an author.”
” The Melodrama is not Lord Byron’s, but you see he has another Poem in the Turkish style coming out. I wish I could
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write so fast.” “I shall have paid within this short time Col. Hamilton, my Aunt, Mrs. Peneaud, besides that cursed a^lOO to your brother, and the Poem will pay off all my other old debts; so that I shall start free and unencumbered when our partnership begins. A long Peace (which I think we may expect) will make sunshine weather, I hope, for our undertaking.” “The Song that I wrote for Braham and intended for you has brought me into an unpleasant scrape.”
Two Letters, 4 to. Monday (1813)
“I inclose you the Preface for the Songs. I have taken a good deal of pains with it.” “Did you see the mention of my name the other day in the Morning Chronicle, in an Essay on the Drama, calling upon me, Byron, Scott, Campbell, &c. to turn our talents fairly to the stage, and so, by the blessing of God, I will, as soon as my present stumbling block is removed.”
Five Letters, four 4to. (one two sides), one 8vo. Tuesday morning. Tuesday (1813)
” This morning, five minutes before six, Bessy produced another little girl, about the size of a twopenny wax doll.”
” Pray have it in the newspapers for me, ‘At Kegworth,
1 Leicestershire, the Lady of Thomas Moore, Esq., of a daughter.’ “” I have at last had my interview with Lord Moira, and now my mind’s at ease. I have not much time to write at present, but the following is in brief what passed between us. He told me he had not been forgetful of me, but that there was no Indian place remaining for him to give away here, if however, on his arrival in India, he should find anything worth my going out for, he would let me know - in the mean time, he had every reason to expect that he could make use of the patronage of ministers at home in exchange for what he could do towards serving their friends in India, and that he would try to do something for me through this channel. To all this I replied, that from his hands I should always be most willing to
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accept anything, and that, perhaps, it might yet be in his power to serve me; but that I begged he would not take the trouble of applying to Ministers for me, as I would rather struggle on as I am, than take anything that would have the effect of tying up my tongue under such a system as the present. I hope you will approve, my dear Sir, of this answer - if there be any merit in it, you have full claim to a share in it, for it is the prospect of honest independence you have opened to my view, which has enabled me to speak in so manly and conscientious a tone.
And now (and from this out) to business - with respect to the song for Mrs. Ashe, I certainly wrote a second verse to it, but where it is, or whether I ever sent it you, I have not the slightest recollection. If I cannot find it, however, I shall write another, and send it in a day or two.
If you have not already had “the Minstrel Boy” engraved, I think it would be better to write it a note lower for the Song
- this occurred to me long ago, but I unluckily forgot to mention it.” “I had got on pretty far and pretty successfully in a Song (on the prospect of going to India, as I told you) for Savourna Deelish - but I am now quite sick of the subject, and shall try some other.” Wishes for a copy of the suppressed Preface to the Irish Melodies. “I returned yesterday from Wales, and I think you will not be sorry to hear that I have given up that speculation. Nothing could induce me to go so far from every thing civilized, but exceedingcheapness. I find, however, that is all a humbug in Wales, and I am convinced from the price of coals and provisions there, added to the tricks the Welsh play upon strangers, we should find it the dearest place w r e could select.”
One letter, 4 to (two sides), Wednesday (1813)
“The little thing was christened by the Rector ‘Anastasia Mary. 7 We had unluckily used up the name of Jane already.”
” I am quite vexed at the disappointment and annoyance that Stevenson’s blunder-headedness is giving you. What’s to be
c
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done about the Rose tree?” “Mrs. Ready since she has heard of our quitting this house, is hard at work fitting up half of Oakhanger Hall for us, and insists most strenuously on our making that our home. Is not this kind ? Their son-in-law, the new Dean of Exeter, is to be there with his Wife during our visit; and Mrs. Ready proposed that the christening should be performed at Oakhanger by the new Dean, offering himself at the same time as Sponsor. We told her, of course, we were otherwise engaged, but she appears to be a very warm hearted woman, and I wish the knight had fast hold of her and her thousands.” “Only think of the Post Bag- the fifth edition comes out on Saturday.” Four Letters, 4to. (one of two sides), Thursday morning, Thursday, and Thursday night (1813)
“I have been applied to (with every promise of success) to stand for the Librarianship of the Dublin Society, <£200 a year, coals, candles, &c. &c, but as residence in Dublin would be necessary, and that would not suit our plans, I have declined it. What a pretty little addition, taking in the full use of library, &c. &c. such a thing would be in London.” Mrs. Ready left us yesterday, and almost cried and tore her hair to make us go with her to Buxton - but we were hard-hearted. She is a good-natured woman with all her nonsense, for she has taken great offence with me because I will not let her lend me two or three hundred pounds. I am sure I do not know where it is to come from if I accepted it.”
“We are very much obliged by Mrs. Power’s agreeing to go bail for our little child.”
“1 was wrong about the Post Bag, for I received a letter from Carpenter yesterday, announcing to me that the first Edition was nearly sold, and that he had in consequence ordered 750 to be ready against the end of the week - this is pretty well, I think, in eight or nine days. He says, too, that it is very highly spoken of, and seems indeed quite agog about it - this
19
gives me great pleasure, for I clo hate most mortally to produce a flash in the pan, and I was afraid this would turn out so. My Bermuda Man has written to me (no money in the letter tho’) telling me that in consequence of the increase of business he has been obliged to get additional Clerks, Stationery, &c. and that by the next conveyance he will send me my share of the last year.” “Thanks for the Sprats. I wish you would call upon Mr. Murray, the Bookseller, and tell him I have received ‘the Corsairs,’ but that I wish he would send me the Poem I wrote for (SafleJ and ‘the Missionary’ by the Coach.”
” Braham once told me the same, and I always looked forward to at least having him in my piece. I should not have the least objection to join him in doing the Music, and as the piece I meditate will be rather a Drama with Songs than an Opera, we can easily manage it between us.” “I have got Mrs. Wilmot’s Tragedy at last, and must ask you to forgive me this we.rk’s work, as I have but a very short time to write the Epilogue in. Am I necessary to you in your Trial ? I did not well understand that part of your letter, but am, of course, at your command in that as well as any thing else, and it will be about the time I should like to go for Mrs. W.’s Tragedy.”
Three Letters, 4to. (two of two sides), Friday, and Friday night (1813)
” ^ou may guess our consternation on arriving at Sandbach, within four miles of this [Oakhanger], yesterday evening when we were told that poor old Ready died on Tuesday. Though it was a miserable inn we were at, and the children both sick, I thought it would hardly be delicate to apprize Mrs. Ready of our arrival the same evening, and we remained at Sandbach all night - a most miserable one it was to me; for besides the illness and screaming of the young ones, my mind was more agitated and perplexed with regard to the plan I should pursue than ever I remember it. I looked upon our visit here as quite out of the question, and what I was to clo with myself and my
c 2
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poor companions, after giving up house, furniture, and eveiything like a home, was more than I could imagine or guess - indeed, my dear Sir, it was a very perplexing interval that took place till (upon my writing a note to the Widow this morning) a very gay barouche with a pair of smiling servants arrived to bring us to Oakhanger, where, between ourselves, there is as little grief on the occasion as could be, with decency put on She is most indecorously ready for the knight, and had even before my arrival, written express for him to come and do the last honours to his dear old friend the Captain - so that if Sir John has a particle of spunk in him he will be here immediately, I am sorry to find, from some conversation with her, that there are three wills of old Ready’s, the second of which cuts her off to a very small annuity indeed, but the first and third agree in leaving everything at her disposal. This third one must determine her fate, but I am afraid, from what I yet can learn, that the circumstances under which she got it from him (it was but last week he signed it) will appear rather suspicious. The Sonin-law, the Dean of Exeter, is expected every day, and I suppose there will be what is called a blow up about this will. The grand point for her is that this last will agrees in every particular with the first he made.”
“What a noble place this is ! and how I should like to meet Mrs. Power and you on a visit to the Knight at it ! it wants but his own will (not forgetting Ready’s Will too) to make a match of it.”
The letter of Friday night informs Mr. Power that Moore is “tahen in for a funeral trip to Gloucester, whither the corpse of the poor old Captain was sent off this morning, and I and a Mr. Cowan from Dublin are to set off after to-morrow.’’
” The Widow dashed off to town last night to prove the will.”
“I have had another letter from your brother, not having answered his former one - I perceive plainly now that the business will come into Court, and I feel that it is necessary for my
21
own character to put my opinion of the matter at issue between you fairly upon record. As long as I saw any likelihood that by the yielding of your brother, any amicable arrangement might take place, my decided preference for you, and even my wish that your brother might be humbled a little for the very wrabrotherly conduct which he appears to have been guilty of towards you, made me give up, or at least suppress many of my own opinions upon the way we have conducted ourselves towards him in this arrangement; but now that it appears so likely to come before the Public, I feel myself called upon to throw my fair and candid opinion into the scale, hoping that it will have that weight which disinterestedness and a pure regard for you entitle it to. You have bound me indeed so warmly to your interests by your friendly assistance in the most interesting moment of my life that there is nothing I would not sacrifice to shew my gratitude except my opinion of what is right” u We expect Lord Moira every day. You see how amply the newspapers have provided for me. One of them has given me a salary of four thousand a year ! My own opinion is that Lord M. will not be able to do anything for me.”
Two Letters, one 4to. the other on an irregular slip of paper, Saturday, Sunday night, (1813) Order for a copy of the Irish Melodies for Mr. Thomson of Edinburgh. “I will give up the alterations I have made in the Midnight Moon if it be of much inconvenience. My reason for altering the first line is to avoid the similarity of title with ‘At the mid hour of night.’ You will perceive in the 4th line of the same that I am not quite decided about the name of the ‘grove.’ “” My squibs I should suppose will be out to-morrow - they were printed at the very quick rate of a sheet a week.” [The title of the Midnight Moon was subsequently changed into “The Young May Moon” and the
” Grove,” named Morna, with a note by Mr. Moore referring to John Brown’s so called translation in Bunting’s Irish Melodies.]
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Two imperfect Letters in Mr. Moore’s autograph, 4 to., and on an irregular slip of paper the second verse of “the Legacy” from the second Number of the Irish Melodies, undated Both of the letters refer to the dispute between Mr. Power and his brother. On the back of one is written a draft of part of a letter addressed by Mr. James Power to his brother William, and the other is a draft of part of a letter for the same purpose in Mr. Moore’s Autograph in which the manner he refers to himself is remarkable, viz. ■’ In short to sum up my determination upon the subject, whatever the easiness of Mr. Moore’s disposition may lead him to suggest to me, I never will allow myself to be influenced either by him or you to make any alteration in the Deed that has passed between us. Mr. Moore, as you know very well, is not a man of business, and however I may pay deference to his judgment upon other matters, yet in the present affair, I am sure I consult not only my own interest but his, in resisting every attempt to set aside the agreement he has made with me - therefore it is useless for you to give him anymore trouble upon the subject. Mr. Moore tells me that, in consequence of a request you have made to him, he purposes sending you copies of what he has written - to this I shall only say, that the moment such act of his shall come to my knowledge, I shall not consider myself restrained by any delicacy towards him from applying to the Court of Chancery instantly to prevent you from publishing a single line or note of his, and commencing such proceedings against him, as in such case I shall have it in my power to do. I have left him with this assurance, and much as I should regret the loss of a friendship so estimable [substituted for “valuable” struck out] as his, I would sooner risk it, than admit any infringement of the Deed by which he is bound to me.”
Three Letters, 4to. (one of three, the others of two sides), undated. (1813) Arrangement of Songs in the fifth Number of the Irish
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Melodies. “Bessy wishes to have her Song ’I would mourn the hopes’ last in the Collection.” “We hope to start from Kegworth this day week. Our Sale is to be on Monday, and I have great hopes I shall shirk the income tax, which 1 do not feel the least remorse of conscience about - I am trusting for everything to the sale, and have not paid a bill these two months.” “I have written to Stevenson most pressingly to meet us at Ready’s, if he does I shall be sure to settle your business with him. I would really I think give up one of my hundreds to him to get him fixed among us. Mrs. Ready is fitting up a nursery for us, and seems determined that we shall become her inmates. I can perceive by your silence that you do not like my Post Bag. Its sale however is wonderful, and I shall be very glad if we can produce a few such bad things in the year, when we turn Leatherheads.” “I am impatient to say that I shall plague you no longer with your brother’s proposals. They are made so plausibly, that I am always puzzled what to say to them. I shall now do what you have advised.” Long statement respecting Moore’s irregularity in accounts, illustrative as he says himself in his life of Sheridan, of “That happy art in which the people of this country are such adepts - of putting the future in pawn for the supply of the present.” “I ’got it into my head very foolishly that my year ended with 1812, and though I am glad to find that I have so much ‘time to the good’ for finishing my number of Melodies to my satisfaction, yet I feel somewhat alarmed about the enormity of my Saturday’s draft on you, as it makes, I fear, a most tremendous anticipation of my next year’s resources, and must inconvenience you in proportion. What led me into my confusion about the time was my having, I believe, anticipated in the same manner at the beginning of 1812. But I never kept any thing like an account of my receipts before I came here - therefore, of any sums received at the beginning of the year I have not the slightest recollection- but since May I have
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drawn upon you, I believe, for £50, some time after my arrival 11
- for 36100 in September, and for £100 more on Saturday last
- this, with a ten pound note in November, and four or five pounds when you were here, is all I have down in my book as having received from you (what you have paid for me is another account.) Now, if I have put down all my drafts upon you since May correctly, these sums, with what I anticipated of the present year, before I came down here, must leave me very little even of your brother’s portion untouched for the remainder of the time, and therefore, a great part of my draft of Saturday will fall unreasonably and prematurely upon you. When I speak this way of your « brother’s portion,’ I am considering it as we did last year (improperly I know) to be left to be paid at the end of the year; but I ought rather in the spirit of our bond, talk of the .£500 at once, without separating your portions. In this way, then, what I fear is, that there remains so little of my £500 to me now, as to throw a great part of my last draft upon the resources of next year, and that I am, like Bonaparte, drawing out the conscription of 1813 before its time.”
Sends the first verse of
“From life without freedom oh ! who would not fly?” Portuguese and Spanish Airs - Sends second verse of “the Song of War.” Begs a cancel in “’Thro’ Erin’s Isle’ - to get rid of one disgraceful rhyme.”* Wishes to consider “of a some-
* It appeared notwithstanding*, and was always a source of annoyance to Mr. Moore.
“Shoots up hy Zephyr kist all,
And sparkles through The limpid dew Like emeralds through crystal ’.”
” Oh the Shamrock,” he wrote with reference to the annexed sketch,
“and that d d infernal stupid
rhyme of mine.”
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what longer Preface for the Number coming from myself. It has struck me that there is a little too much boasting in what I have written, coming, as everybody will perceive from me, though under the name of the Proprietors.”
Three Letters, 4to. undated (1813)
“Nothing yet from Bermuda.” “The reason you did not get my letter till Monday, was that my little Post Girl was late for the Post on Friday morning. I missed your letter on Sunday, for some how I look for one from you on that day as regularly as I used to look for your company to a Sunday dinner at Brompton. The people here are beginning to visit us much faster than I wish - and we are to dine out (for the first time) to-morrow.” Sends a verse of
“I’ll think of you waking and sleeping.”
” Here is a verse, my dear Sir, which I hope Stevenson will be able to make something of - it will require that mixture of lightness and feeling which no one knows better than his knightship - You ought to have had it by yesterday’s post, but I got a sudden summons the day before to dine at the Park and celebrate the Prince’s Birth Day; which you may suppose / I did with all due solemnity and sincerity. - The wine was I good and my Host was good, so I could have swallowed the Toast if it had been the Devil !!”
Three Letters, 8vo. (one of four sides). Undated (1813)
“Pray send a Melologue directed to the Hon. W. Spencer, 3 7, [Bury Street, and one to Miss Douglas, Golden Square.” Directions respecting leaving a card u at the British Hotel for Mr. Jeffery.” With reference to the disagreement between the Messrs. Power, Mr. Moore writes, “if it comes to that, however, I may regret it, the many and deep-felt obligations I am under to you, my dear Sir, not only in the way cf business but of friendship, would not suffer me to hesitate a moment in complying with your wishes, and if you still continue as decided
26
in keeping him out of our Deed as he seems to be about getting into it I shall not be long in chusing my side of the dispute though a dispute it must be, and a legal one too, I have no doubt of it.” “I wish you had been with us last week. Lord Moira sent us a haunch of venison, some moor game, and pine apples.”
One Letter, 4to. (two sides). Tuesday
Printed in the Memoirs by Lord John Russell, No. 217, with the following twenty-one letters.
Three lines after the signature omitted by his Lordship.
“I have made many mistakes in copying out the words, but Williams, the mad parson, is playing on his walking-stick at the other side of the table.”
One Letter, 8vo. (three sides). Friday
Memoirs, No. 218.
Three concluding lines omitted by Lord John Russell, who has appended a note of five lines upon “a little job.”
“For this next week, too, any strange anecdote that you hear of these people will be very acceptable.”
One Letter, 4 to. (two sides). Tuesday
Memoirs, No. 222.
Four lines omitted by Lord John Russell, and inclosed are Moore’s original sketch for the Music with copy for publication, endorsed 17th Feb. 1813, and Mr. Power’s memorandum,
”Published 1816.”
One Letter, 4to. (two sides). Monday, (Feb. 9th, 1813)
Memoirs, No. 223.
Sixteen lines omitted by Lord John Russell.
“My sending Carpenter these trifles to get published has had one good effect, which is, that I have got the Manuscript out of his hands, which you recollect he was so obstinate in holding fast by. I have sent the last of the New Squibs, and I think they ought to be out in a fortnight. The sale of the
27
Tools, which was only last week in the Examiner, had been in the Morning Chronicle six weeks ago, indeed soon after you left this.” “I am heartily sorry you should have any thing to give you so much vexation as your brother must necessarily inflict by his conduct; but, on the other hand, it gives me most heartfelt delight to hear you say that you do not suffer by or repent our connexion.” “I hope you will be .able to read this, but I write it in bed, where I have staid to work, as they are washing down stairs.”
One Letter, 8vo. Not dated
Memoirs, No. 224.
Eight lines omitted by Lord John Russell
“I am sending so many letters to town, that I have not time to do more than say, God bless you.” Cl I have had many sleepless nights with my jaw, but laudanum has at last got me a nap.”
One Letter, 4 to. Thursday Memoirs, No. 225.
One Letter, 4to. (two sides). March 22nd, 1813, printed in Memoirs 23rd, dated only “Monday”
Memoirs, No. 229.
Eight lines omitted by Lord John Russell.
After “poor Bessy” - “she was getting on wonderfully indeed, ’till an unlucky tooth ached her so much, that she has been obliged to get it drawn this morning, after two sleepless nights, which, I fear, will throw her back in her recovery.”
” Best regards to Mrs. Power. I left the names of the Airs to be filled up by Bennison, as I was not quite certain about them. I shall, however, put them now.”
One Letter, 4to. (two sides). December 7, 1813. Printed in Memoirs Sunday - the post mark and pencil endorsement prove that the above date of the receipt is correct Memoirs, No. 230.
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Three lines after the signature omitted by his Lordship.
“Bessy is very anxious to know more about Mrs. Power and the Children, so be explicit, when you have time for it.” One Letter, 4to. (three sides). Tuesday (1813)
Memoirs, No. 233.
Sixteen lines omitted by his Lordship. After, “Ready s is every way convenient” “This being the case, I shall be able to take Bessy there about the latter end of April; and it shall be entirely at your option, whether I wait here till then, and deposit her there before I go, or go up now and return to settle her at Ready’s. The latter would be the most expensive, and, indeed, the least convenient, measure; besides, May is such a good month in town, that five or six weeks there at that time would do us more good than as many about Easter would. I shall, therefore, take for granted, that (however, it may be necessary for me to run up incog, to consult you about business for a-day or two) I had better not begin my company campaign in town till about May, when I shall have shut up my house here, and left Bessy, Barbara, and the maid, at Ready’s.” After the signature, “I send you my signature upon a piece of paper, which you will have the goodness to fill up with the proper notice, and send to Stevenson tomorrow evening for me along with the letter. You will not neglect this; you can inclose and direct it.” One Letter, 8vo. (two sides “Turn over”) undated (1813)
Memoirs, No. 236.
The thirteen lines of the “Turn over” omitted by his Lordship.
“You have made my mind very easy about my money matters, and I shall have no occasion to draw upon you, I hope, till June; but your brother’s bill falls due upon the 10th. It is a great pity it does not come after mine through Longmans, as I might procure the supplies for it in that way; but if you should be urged, I can in some other channel. I shall not want
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to run up to town, thanks to your thoughtfulness in every respect for me. Carpenter expects a call for a third Edition very soon.”
One Letter, 4to. Thursday, (1813, posted 27th December) Me moirs, No. 23
Thirteen important lines omitted by his Lordship.
“I know this will bring money. I can go on writing the convivial part of it, but the political (which shall not be so strong as to do you any harm) had better be written near the time of publication - and if it succeeds, as I have no doubt it will, we can seize all the passing events in this way. Tell your brother all this, though I have some doubt whether his nerves will stand it. I mean now, instead of one thing every week, to send you two things every second week, which will give me a more uninterrupted spell at my Poem. One of the things shall be either a Sacred Song, or something miscellaneous; and the other either Tom Brown, or an Irish Melody. D lton has sent me the Bill of Fare of the First Meeting, and you shall have it with my next packet, or, if not too thick, by this. It is almost all from Sir John and me.” “Will you have the goodness to say in your next, whether you have any means soon of sending a parcel to Ireland for Bessy.”
One Letter, 4to. Wednesday, (1813)
Memoirs, No. 238.
Seven lines at the commencement, and seven lines at the conclusion omitted by his Lordship.
“I received your letter yesterday, and likewise the one on Sunday. We are both truly sorry indeed to hear that you have had so many serious perplexities on your hands - the roguery of your boy [a shop boy who had stolen a large quantity of music, and sold it for waste ])aiper~\ must be every way a most distressing discovery, and I can easily imagine what a heart like yours must feel at the infliction of the law’s justice upon thi s
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ungrateful young reprobate.” “I have been obliged, without giving you such warning as I could wish, to draw upon you at two months for 5624. 8s; but, in about a week, if it is not a death blow to you, I mean to draw for my usual sum, and shall give you £24 out of it to meet the present draft. I wish I could have kept from troubling you any more this year, but necessity has no law, and you have been kind enough to say you would accept for me.”
One Letter, 4to. (two sides). 1813, (Post mark, 4th Sept. 1813) Memoirs, No. 239.
Two lines after the signature omitted by his Lordship.
” Longman will send you a book for me, and I shall have some more to make up a parcel soon.”
One Letter, 4 to. Monday,- 1 8 1 3, (Post mark, 20th April, 1813) Memoirs, No. 240.
One Letter, 4to. Tuesday night, (Post mark, 1st July, 1813) Memoirs, No. 243.
Two lines at top omitted by his Lordship.
” Send the inclosed as soon as you can.”
One Letter, 4 to
Memoirs, No. 244.
One Letter, 4to. (two sides)- 1813 (December 18, 1813) Memoirs, No. 245.
Two lines at the top omitted by his Lordship.
” There has been an arrival from Bermuda since, and yet not a word from Sneddon.”
One Letter, 4to. (three sides). July 14, 1813 Memoirs, No. 246.
“At the other side,” and the words of the Finland Sons; “I saw the Moon rise clear,” (two verses) omitted by his Lordship.
One Letter, 8vo. (two sides and P.S. on back) Castle Donington, Friday- (1813)
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Memoirs, No. 256.
The P.S. of four lines omitted by his Lordship.
“I bid Longman send the book for me to your house, and I shall perhaps have some other materials for the parcel which you meditate making for me.” One Letter, 4to. (three sides, October 23rd, 1813)
Memoirs, No. 258.
The twelve lines on the third page omitted by his Lordship.
“I have got my hat safe. It is very good of you to take up my Bill of £24. 8s, but my payment of half my debt to Mrs. Peneaud, with what I have had to do here, left me, as usual, running close to the wind. I fell this as I do all your kindnesses; not one of which I have yet an opportunity of repaying, and this would be too burthensome if it went on long, but some
time or other perhaps ! The inclosed letter to Perry
is an answer to the last application about Drury Lane, which was not indeed a formal application, but rather the account of a conversation he had upon the subject at Holland House. I have told him that I certainly will attempt a Drama for Drury Lane, as soon as possible.”
One Letter, 8vo. (four sides). Monday night (1813) [more probably 1814, see 5th April in that year, p. 35, with reference to Trial*] Memoirs, No. 259.
Fifteen lines in the body of the note omitted by his Lordship.
* The following is the newspaper report of this important Literary trial : -
COURT OF KING’S BENCH, 28th May.
Power v. Walker.
Copyright. - Mr. Horace Twiss stated that this was an action to recover
damages for pirating two songs, the one called, “Fly not yet,” and the other
called “Eveleen’s Bower.” The songs were written and adapted to old
Irish melodies, by Thomas Moore, Esq. They were originally published among
many others, but being two favourite songs with the public, the defendant
had published them singly, and to conceal his piracy had varied the words in
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11 Dalton tells me he has had Mrs. Ready to dinner, with her hair in ringlets over her neck - such hair ! and such a neck ! - even Stevenson’s heart was proof against them. By this I should think she has but little chance of the Knight, and, indeed, I should be sorry he was thrown away upon her. Dalton says Stevenson will come over with them in the Spring. I hope you will like the words for Stevenson, and that he will set them well. I have given my idea of the manner it ought to be set in to Dalton.”
such a way as to deceive those who inquired for the original works. Mr. Moore’s song began thus : -
“Fly not yet ’tis just the hour, When pleasure like the midnight flower; That scorns the eye of vulgar light, Begins to bloom for sons of night; And maids who love the moon.” The defendant’s song was to this effect : -
“Fly not yet, ’tis just the hour, When pleasure moves with brisker power; When fancy deck’d with pinions bright, Exerts with sons of mirth her flight; And lovers court the moon.” The learned Counsel read the verses of each song, to the very great entertainment of the Court. Mr. Moore’s other song began in this way : -
” O weep for the hour When to Eveleen’s bow’r The lord of the valley with false vows came.” The defendant’s song was -
“O song of the hour When to Eveleen’s bow’r The knight of the castle a courting came.” In this way did the defendant endeavour to avail himself of the popularity of the plaintiff’s songs. If such a system of imposition was suffered to prevail it must ruin the plaintiff, Mr. Power, in his business, for he was actually under an agreement with Mr. Moore to pay him £500 a year for the exclusive right of publishing his lyric poetry. It was obvious that if the words of the songs were sung inarticulately, as was too commonly the practice even with
33
One Letter, small 4to. (two sides). (1813)
Memoirs, No. 260.
Six lines in the body of the note respecting the cancel omitted by his Lordship.
After “done conveniently” - “if not, I shall add it as an erratum to the New Preface, which you shall have in a day or two; though I should be almost tempted to leave the Advertisement as it is, to vex your brother, who talks so impudently about it
our best singers, the one might easily be mistaken for the other. He then made some observations on the national influence of songs, in guiding the public taste and keeping alive the hereditary heroism of the people. So important were compositions of that sort considered by the English Government, that Mr. Dibdin had been allowed a yearly pension for the songs by which he had so often inspired our naval heroes. The defendant had boasted of his numerous piracies of the same kind, and had described himself as a fire-ship’ that had done little mischief in the trade, though perhaps little accustomed to such actions as the present. This Jire-ship could not be under a better captain than his learned friend (the Attorney- General), but he trusted some of the plaintiff’s shot would strike her magazine, and blow her fairly out of the water.
Mr. Moore proved that he was the author of the original songs, and that he had transferred his interests in them to Mr. Power of Dublin,
Mr. Bennison proved that Mr. Power of Dublin, had transferred his right to Mr. Power, of the Strand, but no writing passed, it was a verbal agreement.
The Attorney- General contended that a copyright could not, under the statute of Queen Anne, be vested in any one but the author, except it had been transferred by a written instrument.
Lord Ellenborough, after looking into the Act of Parliament, considered the objection fatal, and accordingly the plaintiff was nonsuited.
The Attorney-General observed, that the learned gentleman, by his manner of conducting this cause, had shewn himself too able an advocate for his clients to be under any apprehension of pirates, or even of ordinary perils, whatever adventures they might embark in, under his guidance, in the ocean of law.
Lord Byron, Mr. John Kemble, and several literary characters were in Couit
D
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■ - and I wish you would let me be at the expense of the alteration in the letter-press, to annoy him.”
Two Letters, 4to. 3rd and 8th January, 1814
“Have you seen the splendid compliment paid to me and the Melodies in the last Number of the Edinburgh Review ? It is really most magnificent, and its appearance in that work is a signal triumph to me.” “Lord Byron is about another poem. He is one of the very few men that write quick and well too. I have a strong suspicion that he will dedicate this next poem to me, but say nothing till we see.” “If there should be a Peace I will go to France and Italy to collect music for you, and perhaps try a musical tour like Dr. Burney.”
Two Letters, 4to. (one of two sides), 16th and 24th February, 1814
” What a scrape my friend Lord Byron has got into by his acknowledgement of the verses to the young Princess ! He writes me word that the Prince till now always supposed them to be mine.” Of “poor Twiss’s book,” Moore says, [’ I have seldom read any thing that made me sadder than both its mirth and its melancholy.” “I wish the Satirist had more circulation than it has; for they have just done for me what I could not in delicacy do for myself, that is, published a pretty nearly true statement of my transaction with Lord Moira.” “I suppose you have seen Hunt’s honourable mention of me and the Melodies in his ‘Feast of the Poets.’ “” I have had some letters from unknown persons with Airs and information of Airs.”
Two Letters, one 4to., one 12mo., 12th and 17th March, ! 8 14
” I send this through Lord Byron.” “I am in a sad quandary about my Poem; work as I will I cannot get it ready to put to press till June, and that is quite too late for the season
- and yet I hear of more Persian tales likely to come out, which may do me very great detriment, and makes . me feel
35
very unhappy at the delay.” “I have been too nervous and frightened about this Poem, but nothing shall ever fidget me so much again, or take up so much of my time - my friend Rogers making me begin it all over again so often, has been the whole cause both of my nervousness and my delay with it.”
Two Letters, 4to. 5th and 11th April, 1814
“I have at length received my dispatches from Bermuda, and I know you will sympathize with my disappointment, when I tell you the remittance is not half of what I was led to expect. The mistake arose from Sheddon (in letter to me, announcing what I was to expect) putting the word ‘sterling’ after the sum he mentioned instead of ‘currency,’ which you know makes all the difference in the world.” “I wish you would let me know whether it is quite certain that your Trial [See Note p. 31] will come on before Summer, as I must be guided by that in my visit to town, and manage so as not to be obliged to make two trips of it.”
Two Letters, one 4 to. one 8vo. 29th April, 6th May, 1814
“On Sunday night next I hope to eat bread and cheese and drink long-untasted porter with you in the Strand. Many thanks for your offer of a lodging - but I have written to bespeak my former ones in Bury Street, 33.” “I want a good ( air to write a dashing Song in praise o/Lord Wellington. y Our Irish hero ought not to go unsung.” “Will you let me eat a hasty bit with you to morrow? (a little before four, if not inconvenient,) as I am going to the theatre to see Kean’s Iago. I had Whitbread with me for three quarters of an hour yesterday about a play for Drury. Lord Byron has done two Songs already for me.”
Two Letters, 4 to. (one of three, the other of two sides), 9th and 25th June, 1814 Two curious and interesting letters. One contains the second verses of “When twilight dews,” and “When I am dead,” with
I) 2
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an alteration in the Musical Notation of the latter. “I arrived very tired on Saturday evening, not the less so for meeting with very unexpected honours from the fools of Derby, who came out to meet us about a mile from the town (on account of the confirmation of Peace) with ribbons, oak-leaves, &c. took the horses from the mail and pulled us through the town. After we had dined, the same wise animals pulled us out again. We were received at Ashburne (both places being long remarkable for their fits of frenzy) with the same cavalcade and triumph, and the only thing that amused me in the whole business was an idea that struck me of buying a whiskered mask, before we came to Derby, which I made a man in the mail (who had an odd sort of black tufted travelling cap) put on, and he hurraed like a Don Cossack out of the windows.”
” The one [Melody] I send has a good many verses to it, and is a subject I have long meditated. It is on the Prince’s desertion of Ireland, and done so as to appear like a love song, in the manner of some other political ones in the Collection. I am sure you will like it when you see the rest.”
Six Letters, five 4 to. (one of three and one of two sides, one 8vo. of two sides), 4th, 11th, 15th, 16th, 20th, and 21st July, 1814
” A word from you is worth (I was going to say ten commandments from any other quarter.)” “Unless you particularly wish my attendance, I had rather be spared both the vulgar laugh at my unfortunate verses, and the Old-Baily sort of language I may expect from the Attorney-General - indeed, I felt as if I were gibbetted the last time.” (A facetious letter). Three most interesting letters respecting the dispute between Messrs. James and William Power and their arrangement with Moore. “I write now, under cover to Lord Byron, to tell you that Kelly’s book contains no less than four or five very pretty Airs for our purpose, and on Friday I expect to send you one of them with words.” “The circumstances under which we
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parted were such as to make me tremblingly alive to the least suspicion of alteration in you. You saw how ready I was to give up your purse, but you will never see me ready to give up your friendship.”
Four Letters, 4to. 10th, 18th, 18th, and 29th August, 1814
“Jeffrey has written me so many pressing letters to do something for the Review, and Rogers and Byron have seconded him so warmly, that I am obliged to give him two articles for this Number - but I never will give him any more; these things will be too valuable to us to be thrown away so slightly.” “I write now merely to say that I have done ‘Cuislah ma chree,’ after many trials.” The letter of 18th August announces the birth of” Miss Olivia Byron Moore (that is to be).” “I think you will not grudge ten pence for the intelligence of Bessy’s safety, it would be worth twenty pence, if I had a boy to announce to you, but unluckily it is another girl.” •’ But I will drink an extraordinary glass or two to-day, and one of the extraordinaries shall be to you and yours.” “I have been wisked away to the Derby Races by my friend Joe Atkinson, and the worst of it is cannot get back for love or money. I am invited from this by the Duke of Devonshire to meet the Harringtons with him at Chatsworth for some days - but I do not think I shall go. Forgive me all my sins,” &c.
It was upon this occasion that Mr. Atkinson wrote the following, we believe, unpublished epigram.
I’m sorry, dear Moore, there’s a damp to your joy,
Nor think my old strain of mythology stupid, When I say that your wife had a right to a boy,
For Venus is nothing without a young Cupid. But since Fate, the boon that you wished for, refuses,
By granting three girls to your happy embraces, He meant, when you wandered abroad with the Muses,
That your wife should be circled at home by the Graces.”
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Mr. Moore to Sir John Stevenson and Mr. Power, 2 letters 4 to. (one of two sides), 10th and 13th September, 1814.
” I have just received a scatter brained letter from him to say that he means to start on Tuesday morning for Gloucester, which is in an entirely opposite direction to us. Now what I entreat of you is, that the moment you get my letter, you will proceed to seize this wild frolicksome youth - put him into one of the coaches that leave London for Manchester at two o’clock, and if possible put yourself in with him.” “I shall have Paddy O’Rafferty ready for Stevenson to arrange, and shall make him do the Sacred Songs.” “I depend upon your sending Stevenson to me.”
Six letters, five 4to. (one of three, and one of two sides) one 8vo., 6th, 7th, 10th, 21st, 24th, 28th, and 28th November, 1814. A Piano Forte “for Mr. Arkwright (the son, you know, of the great Cotton Man, who lives in Ashbourne.)” Correction of verse in the Song of “Dear Harp of my Country.” “Obliged to give a dinner.” “One fine and dashing dish enables one to be as homely as one pleases in the rest of the dinner, and if Turtle soup be not too extravagant, I should like to have a little down, enough for six persons,” - limits the price to a guinea. - A long and interesting letter. “I wish I had sent one of my two eldest young ladies over with you to Ireland, for I find the addition of one more in the house makes an incredible difference in point of noise, and I hear every thing in this small cabin so plainly, that really I am very seriously disturbed by them, and shall, I fear, be many ideas out of pocket by their riotousness.” Criticism on the illustration to Moore’s Song of my Wellington’s name. “I hope the Turtle soup is comeatable, as I am rather depending on it.” The first number of the Sacred Songs, with reference to the Deed. “My dinner went off illustriously, and your oysters in the evening were pronounced the best ever eaten.” “I cannot reconcile it to myself to delay one moment
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my congratulations on the amicable turn your business with your brother is likely to take. Heaven send it may all end as cordially as I wish.” “I am not at all satisfied with the state of the 7th. No. We want something striking, and I must try on till I find it.” “I have just had a long letter from Lord Byron - he is at Verona.”
Two Letters, one 4 to., one 8vo. (both three sides), 26 Dec. (note undated) 1814.
” I have waited two or three days, and delayed the second verse of Wellington in the expectation of proofs from you.” Sends second and third verses with corrections of “While History’s Muse,” and the third verses to “The time I’ve lost,” and
”Come rest in this bosom.” ’* These have been my employment since I came down - hardly a line of my Poem. I shall now try the Ballads for Braham, and then take to my Sacred Songs and Poem.” “I have just got your letter, very sorry about the Turtle. But do not mind the Cod’s head, as I have fish; only send the oysters.” “I have kept back ‘Fill the bumper’ to consider of it.” “I am sorry to see that you have put my name in full to those foolish early songs of mine, which I never authorized more to than T. M., Esq.”
Two Letters, 4to. (two sides), 17th January, 1814. Memoirs, No. 265.
Six lines at top, and four lines after the signature omitted by his Lordship. “Wednesday - this letter was written to go off on Tuesday, but the young ladies had not their packet ready - ■ so that they must take the place of my own inclosures on Friday, and I shall send my two Songs by the way of Daviesstreet the beginning of next week; in the meantime as I trust you will think this letter worth tenpence it shall go by itself.”
” I suppose you saw that the Tyrolese Glee was sung at the great dinner given to Mr. Canning in Liverpool. When you have any parcel to send us, I wish you would put up some dried sprats from your neighbour Hicksons, 170.”
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One Letter, 4to. (two sides), 29th January, 1814.
Memoirs, No. 271. One Letter, 4 to. (two sides), undated.
Memoirs, No. 272.
One Letter, 4 to. (two sides), 1st August, 1814. Memoirs, No. 292.
Eight lines at top omitted by his Lordship.
” Whenever you send me another parcel, pray send me some Music paper - and oh ! the Bill for Tyrrell, for goodness sake do not forget this. The filtering stone broke all round the top before it was taken out of the case - there was a great seam in the stone, which cracked; pray hear what the man has to say to this some time when you are near him.” One Letter, 4to. (three sides), 31st October, 1814.
Memoirs, No. 303. One Letter, 4to. (three sides), 12th November, 1814.
Memoirs, No. 307. Four Letters, 4to. (one of four sides), 7th and 20th January 14th and 18th February, 1815. Sends words of “No tears are not always,” 3 verses, “Love and Time,” 3 verses, “I love thee now,” 3 verses. “I have been particularly prolific since I wrote last. In addition to the above, I have written words (to an air I have made out from Beethoven) of five verses, about 48 lines. You may give one of the above to Michael Kelly if you please - ‘Love and Time* perhaps. I shall alter either for him or Braham any words they may boggle at.” “I shall leave home for Chatsworth, I think, on Monday. How do the engravings go on, and did the artist succeed to your satisfaction in the sketch of the Leprechaun ?” As to the Doctor’s request, I have, of course, not the least objection - but I do not like the style of his wording. Suppose we say, ‘To the gentleman who favoured me with this air I am indebted for many other old and beautiful melodies, from which,
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&c. &c. Nothing better seems to me at present, ‘scientific’ is not one of my words.”
Three Letters, 4to. 3rd, 10th and 30th March, 1815
“Send it to the office to be franked for me - direct under cover to Mr. Greville, War Department, Downing Street. I am anxious to know whether he may be depended upon.”
” The new setting of * Fill the bumper’ will do - but Stevenson seems to have resolved upon doing it tastelessly.” One of the letters contains “a small alteration in the Sacred Melody” of three bars. “This being for no other purpose (as Kings say in their letters) I pray God to take you into his holy keeping.” Your daughter “is flourishing most promisingly, and if she gives but fair play as to time, will exchange her lilies for roses before she leaves Mayfield.”
Four Letters, 4to. (two of two sides), 8th, 21st, 22nd and 29th April, 1815 With reference to Mrs. Wilmot’s Tragedy, Mr. Moore writes -
” it has been so often postponed that I do not like to send up my Epilogue till I have something more certain than her announcement of it.” “I should have liked very well to have taught Mrs. Bartley my own method of reading the Epilogue but as to witnessing the speaking of it my nerves are as well without that trial. I dare say it will go off as flat as the Melologue. ,, “Poor Mrs. Wilmot’s Play got a complete and irredeemable damnation. Lord Byron writes me word not a line of my Epilogue was either intelligibly spoken or heard. And it was so much the better, for really it would have appeared like a satire on the poor deceased Lady. No - no - ‘your gentle Inas will not do,’ was quite a prophecy of the event. I find however my Epilogue has made up lee-way, in the reading y most triumphantly.”
Four Letters, 4to. (two of three and one of two sides), 3rd, 9th, 18th and 25th May, 1815
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“I fear very much I shall not be able to compass my visit to town, though there are many things I want to do there, besides the great use those ‘annual revelations of myself (as Rogers calls my visit) are invariably of, to me, in every way - but the supplies are not forthcoming, and I fear I shall be obliged to ask the loan of your name for our trip to Ireland where I should not like to appear ‘shorn of my beams’ in any respect; you can understand why, for every reason I should like to put my best leg foremost in Dublin “u Did you see the mention of my work and the price in the Chronicle last week ? How Lord Byron must curse that fellow Nathan, who is puffing off his Jewish wares in all sorts of quackish ways. He had a Puff about them the other night directly under the Lottery Squibs, in the small type part of the Courier. Talking of the Jew - I have the second verse of ‘FalPn is thy throne O Israel !’ to send you.” Sends the four verses of this song with the notes. - Comment on his friend Dalton’s conduct. - “I hope the above is sacred enough for you. I flatter myself it is both words and music, a very tolerable hit. Was there ever any thing so bad as the Hebrew Melodies ? # Some
* Lord Byron is said to have heard of this or a similar letter written by Moore, and to have revenged himself in the following
EPITAPH.
Lasciva pagina
Vet a proba est.”
Tread light o’er the Poet, whom Death was to blame For gathering so soon to his store; Tn the lays of his youth he was Little in fame, Though his name has since shone on us More.
The Muses and Graces hung over his lyre, And taught him the feelings to move; - To wake the warm glow of impassion’d desire, And kindle the bosom to love.
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of the words are of coarse good, tho’ not so good as might have been expected - but the Music ! ‘Oh Lord God of Israel!’ what stuff it is ! and the price ! If the Angel in the title page had four Crowns instead of one and the odd shilling tucked under his wing, it would be four times more emblematical than it is.” - “I have just had a proposal from Douglas Kinnaird to join him and Lord Byron and Lord Essex in the Committee of Management of Drury Lane. What do you say to that, shall I accept it ?” “Tell the Champion to direct to me Kilmaiuham Lodge. I have given up the management.” Sends second verse of the “Song of Miriam” - “Oh when shall come that glorious day.”
Four Letters, one folio, two 4to. (one of two sides), and one 8vo. 5th June, 11th, 26th and 31st July, 1815
” This expedition is bleeding me most profusely, though I am not at expense for lodgings, that excellent fellow Richard Power having lent me his house.” “We leave Dublin on the loth for the Powers and Bryans and after that go to Lord Granard’s.” “7, Kildare Street”-” We returned to town after near a month’s ramble through the County Kilkenny, during which time we made visits to four different houses, and
Though some have complain ’d of his verses, the spell
Is far too voluptuously wrought;
That the action of love is depicted so well,
The passion is almost forgot.
Yet peace to his ashes ! if sometimes too warm
His luxuriant effusions may seem, -
In each line of those strains breathes a soul-touching charm,
Which forsook him in changing his theme.
Of the dead we’d fain speak and would always hope well; Tommy’s errors, we trust, are forgiven; But if there’s one thing that will send him to Hell, ’Tis his singing so vilely of Heaven !”*
* See ‘Moore’s Melodies,’ by T. Moore.
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you may easily suppose idleness was the order of the day with me. 5 ‘Sends five Sacred Melodies.
Three Letters, 4to. (one of two sides) 1st .September, 9th and 14th October, 1815
” I but last night returned from another country visit of three weeks duration to my sister in Tipperary.” - “I had a sad journey of it- poor Bessy was taken very ill with me at Holyhead and I was obliged to forfeit the inside of the coach which I had paid for to Chester. We were five days creeping along, and it cost me every farthing of forty guineas before I got home.” ft I am not only at my money’s ends, but my wit’s end too.” “If you are sending me Gardiner’s 2 vols, pray let the Scourge of this month (containing caricature about Big Ben) come with it.”
Three Letters, 4to. (one of two sides) 4th, 14th, and 19th November, 1815
” I have deferred sending you the enclosed from my wish to have Lord Byron’s answer to a proposal I made him some time ago (before I left Ireland) with respect to his song. I found a very pretty Irish Air to which the words went remarkably well, and I told him that as I had failed in setting them myself, the next gratification I should feel would be with your leave and his, to put them in the next Number of Irish Melodies - to this he has answered that he should infinitely prefer having them ‘embalmed? (as he expresses himself) in that work to their being scattered abroad as a single Song. It is for you now to express your opinion.” “I have some fears (from my recollection of the dates), that two of the Bills, which my necessities in Ireland extorted from me, one to Stevenson, and the other to your brother, will become due to-morrow. Their united sums will be, I think, about eighty or ninety pounds, and I accordingly send you a draft on the other side for 36100 upon the Longmans. I have apprized them by this Post of the sort of informal draft you are to present, and I should be glad
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if you would defer presenting it till it is absolutely necessary. The Bill your brother drew was for money he let me have, and has nothing to do with any debt to him, which I took care not to increase.” Seven Letters, five 4 to. one franked by Mr. Arkwright, two
8vo. (one of three sides), 2nd, 4th, 8th, 11th, 13th, 21st,
and 28th December, 1815
” I have not felt very well for this week past, and sometimes think I have symptoms of the muscular inflammation in my side, which laid me up for so long a time about nine years ago, as I know I am apt to be fanciful, it may perhaps be nothing but imagination. I shall, however, apply leeches if the pain continues.” These letters are chiefly relative to Moore’s Sacred Songs. “I have not been out of my own demesne more than twice these three weeks.”
Four Letters, two 4to. (one of two sides), two 8vo. (one of two sides), Sunday, (1815)
” I have not time at this moment to give you half the thanks you deserve for the kind and feeling account you have indulged me with of your visit to my dear and excellent mother. I am quite happy that she saw you, because I know what a comfort it was to her - indeed they had written to me about it, before I heard from you.” “These two [Irish Melodies’] are Savourna Deelish, and Sweet Harp of my Country, which I am so very anxious about, that I wish to keep back the rest of them till the very last moment.” “I am never done touching and retouching while the things lie by me, and nothing but a printer’s devil at my heels ever drives me into finishing. To be sure with copper plates this is not so convenient, but you must be prepared for this sort of proceeding, when we come to our literary operations. My Anacreon, Little, Post Bag, have all gone to press before they were more than half finished; and I have succeeded well enough in all not to make me wish to change my method.”
<: I should like Wellington’s Song in the middle, and Sweet
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Harp of my Country of course the last.” “As soon as I have got the two puzzles of the Melodies off my stomach I shall send you the second verses of these Songs. I have not been able yet to separate Stevenson’s chaff from his grain in the immense mass of music-paper he has scribbled over.” “If the story of the Leprechaun be authentic, keep it so - but let me know whether you do by return of Post, directed ^o me, at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, as I must mention it in the note on the Song. I send you a Sacred thing to keep the Leprechaun in countenance.” “I rather fear the Cobler is too vulgar for the style of my Song. I wish now we had chosen another subject.” - [See Crofton Croker’s Fairy Legends.] Three Letters, 8vo. (one of three, the other of two sides). Wednesday evening, two undated, (1815)
” I like the second sketch very much - indeed 1 like both, and the figure of History in the first one is particularly pretty
- the moment too, he has chosen, excuses the triumphant air of Erin. Upon the whole, however, I think I prefer the second, and seizing the most prominent feature in the Song - the words under it must be
’ She saw History write, With a pencil of light, That illumed all the volume, her Wellington’s name.’ I am afraid that you will cry out at the alterations I have made in * When first I saw’ - but remember they are to be put down to my account.” “It is very amusing to think of Byron becoming a ‘sweet singer of Israel,’ - but you will find but little of the poetry actually his.” Of one of his Sacred Melodies Mr. Moore writes - “You may send words and all to Stevenson, as they are married indissolubly together, There will be several verses to it.’ et I return the proofs [of the Irish Melodies’] 1 must have a revise of the Advertisement, which has given me inconceivable trouble. I had a long rig-ma-role in it about Wellington - in which I said that it was at your request
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I wrote the Song; but that of course I did it with c all my heart and soul, &c. &c.’ but, after twisting it into a thousand shapes I left that and much more out.” “I will say for myself, there never was a fellow left more completely to his own mother wit in these things than I am. “Why does not Stevenson solicit something ? Lord Byron has sent me a song to set - very beautiful, but devilish hard to put to music.” “I have not been very well latterly, continued head-aches - I should think from hard fagging; for I am all day at it.” “I am sorry to give you so much trouble about the Preface, tho’ it is nothing to what I give myself.”