Notes from Autograph Letters of Thomas Moore to Mr Power

[cont.]

Three Letters, two 4 to., one 12mo., 7th, 16th, 21st January, 1819.
” I inclose some Music to go to Birchall’s, and a list of things I want from him. Do you think it will be too remarkable ordering so many National Collections •?” “The Quarterly Review is very favourable indeed.” “I write to you now merely because I promised to do so - not that I have anything particular to say about the papers For your brother’s extraordinary estimate upon which the extraordinary affidavits were forwarded you had already shewn me in town. There is one item, indeed, which (if I could agitate it) will give me some trouble, and that is the 56100 for your half the Irish Miscellany, with which your brother has already charged me, and which I am sorry to say, he has been paid. 1 should like to have your advice how I ought to proceed with him on this point, as if I could get off paying the sum twice over) without, however, going to law about it), it would be at least so much saved out of the fire. If you and I are to have another agreement together, I should be glad it was regularly and finally arranged, as it would not only enable me to give a decisive answer to enquiries on the subject, but would set my mind at rest with respect to the tasks and pursuits that are before me.

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I have had no answer from Stevenson to my serious representations about the Sacred Songs. I know not therefore what to do - to chuse another arranger would be, I perceive, a break up for ever - and yet the work must come out.” “If you want filling up your portmanteau (not otherwise), you may send to Lanman the Taylor, at the top of St. James’s St., not far from the York Hotel, for my Kilkenny coat, which he had to alter.”

Four Letters, two 4to., two 8vo., (one of two sides), 26th February, 16th, 18th, and 25th March, 1819.
” My Tom Crib (upon which you must be very silent, as I have gone to the trouble of having the MS. copied before it goes to the Printer, in order to enable me to deny it stoutly) is nearly ready, and I am yours for the remainder of the year.”
” I send you four Sacred Songs, all (I think) good ones.” “I have just had a letter from your brother, telling me that he is about to open a house in London, and modestly asking me to give him the preference in the publication of some of my works! I mean to write a last strong letter to Stevenson about this number of Sacred Melodies. I heard yesterday from Longmans that the first Edition of Crib (2000 copies) is nearly sold already, and they have worked off 2000 more. This is spanking work. I hardly expected any sale for it. Mrs. Power will be glad to see that I never mean to touch H. R. H. again.”
”I am going to the Harmonic at Bath on Friday.” “I tried something for the St. Patrick’s, because you seemed to wish it
- but I could not please myself, and it is, I assure you, no loss
- for there is nothing less respectable than writing Songs for these occasions, to be roared out by such fellows as Webbe and Broadhurst. My Stewardship will cost me, I dare say, ten guineas.” Requests Mr. Power to send this ten guineas for him to Mr. Tegart, Pall Mall. “Mind, you deny Crib stoutly for me. I told the Longmans it would have been better to get some inferior bookseller to publish it; but they had stronger hopes from it than I fear will be realized.”

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Four Letters, 4to., 7th, 15th, 25th, and 26th April, 1819.

“I forgot to tell you that I have written to Corry to call upon your brother and pay him the £20 which you know remained of our account, getting at the same time a receipt in fall from him, which I shall be most happy to possess, and have done with him for ever.” “Did I tell you of the splendid reception I met with at the Harmonic in Bath ? my health drank, with a nourishing speech from one of the Stewards, and three times three. My songs encored over and over, &c. &c. It was indeed very flattering.” “I send you two Nationals and the Song from Croker’s book, which I thought you had taken away when last here.” “I have done a Sacred Song that I think beats ‘Sound the loud Timbrel,’ in the same style. Its title is ‘War against Babylon.’ “We shall be most happy to see you at the time appointed. I want your services in the Fish line for Friday, as I find I must give a clearing dinner before I go to town - so by Thursday’s coach, pray do not forget to send me a good dish of Salmon, with S?nelts to garnish (if there are any), and a lobster or two. If you could be down by Friday yourselves you would not be less welcome than the fish to us and our guests.” Family arrangements, &c.

Three Letters, 4to. 5 6th May, 16th and 25th June, 1819

Directions about il a light smart hat” from Bicknell’s. “I am glad to see that two of our Pieces are performed at the Covent Garden Oratorios. But why don’t you make them announce ■ Hark the Vesper Hymn,’ as from Moore’s National Melodies?” “I was sorry I had not another peep at you before I left that racketting town of yours. The quiet I have plunged into here is just as much in the other extreme, and almost as disagreeable.” “I have sent off all my worldly wealth to Bessy [Mrs. Moore had gone to Edinburgh, to attend her Sister’s Marriage with Mr. William Henry Murray, of the Theatre Royal Edinburgh, which was solemnized on the \9th July, 1819], to enable her to come home, and should

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have been myself upon the Parish or upon you, if it were not for the God-send to which the inclosed refers, which Branigan has sent wherewith to buy some things for his little girl.”

Two Letters, 4to. (one of three sides), 22nd and 2Sth July, 1819

“I have some very gratifying accounts to give you of the kind offers that have been made to me - even by some of my great friends.”

“The persons I alluded to in my last letter were, in the first place, Lord Lansdowne, who wrote immediately to me on seeing the statement in the Newspapers, offering to become security for me to the amount of the claims, or to do any thing else that might be of service. Lord Tavistock, too, wrote down to his brother Lord John (who is at Bowood), bidding him enquire whether any thing had been done or was doing for me, and adding these words - ‘I am very poor, but I have always had such a strong admiration of Moore’s independence of mind, that I would willingly sacrifice something to be of use to him.’ Lord John himself had already begged me to accept the copyright of a book he has just published, as his mite towards my extrication. In short, never was any thing more gratifying than the zeal every body shews about me. I have just heard from Dublin, that the Bishop of Kildare (whom I do not know, even by sight) offered to put down £50 himself towards a subscription.” Pecuniary arrangements - “The Longmans I must keep entirely for my great effort, so that in the mean time I shall be quite adrift for the means of subsistence, travelling, &c. unless I can raise the wind by the assistance of you or Murray. Him I have not tried yet, &c.” To Mr. Power Mr. Moore apologises for “thus pressing and ‘spurring so free a horse ‘as I have always found you.” “I suppose you saw the paltry paragraph extracted from that fellow Fitzsimon’s paper - ’the talented friend’ of Lord Donoughmore.’ “

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Three Letters, two 4to., one 8vo., 3rd, 4th, and 18th August,

1819 A Commission for “our neighbours the Phipps’s - to send down directed to me, by Thursday’s Coach, four good lobsters, 200 prawns, and three German Sausages. They are to have a rural pic-nic on Friday, and this supply is for the occasion.”
” Many, many thanks for your kind exertions to assist me. There could not be any thing, just at this moment, more convenient, or more full of relief to my little difficulties, than your having discharged this last Bill. You see I have attended to the hint at the end of your letter (which was according to the good old mode of the Commons of England in tacking grievances to a Money Bill), and have sent three Nationals, which, I think, will all do - at least in the company of their betters,”
&c. “I send back the Sausages, which are pronounced to be very bad. You will make the best exchange of them for better that you can. The lobsters and prawns were excellent.” Letter transmitting one of them. Three Letters, 4to. (one of

two sides), 23rd October, (7th) and 11th November,

1819 Florence. “The fact is, I have met with nothing in our way since I came to Italy, and they may talk as they will of the music one hears in this Country, I can only say, that (except an hostler singing * Bi tanti palpiti ‘in the Stable Yard the other night) I have not heard a sound of any thing like popular music since I came.” Rome. “I hope to be in England about this day month.” “I send as accurate a description of the times of the Airs [intended for 2nd Number of National Melodies’] (which it is a great pity we did not think of that evening we revised the whole) as I can possibly make out from a recollection of their characters here; and, as I observe you are one short of the number, you must only put in * How happy once ‘as a Swedish Air, and turn my other Air into a ‘Moorish ‘one.”

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Three Letters, 4to. (one of three sides with Musical Notation), 13th, 16th, and 31st December, 1819
” Just arrived in Paris, safe and sound.” “I am ready to set about any and every work you may have for me to do. I find I must not come to England. The Longmans have written to me that it is the opinion of all my friends I should by no means think of crossing the water.” “I have only time (from Chantrey going so much sooner than I expected) to write out the first verse of the Song I promised.” [Name spelled Chauntry.’] “30, Rue Chanteraine. You will perceive there is an alteration in the first verse” [’When thou shalt wander by that sweet light,’ - sends the two verses]. “I had better write out these words with the music on the other side.” “After all this is a better place to pick up music in than Italy.”

Three Letters, 4to. (one of two sides), 29th January, 8th and 28th February, 1820
” I have been in a most wretched state of distraction and ancomfort here. Indeed it is the first time since I married that my home has been uncomfortable; for being thrown upon external supplies for our dinner, &c. and contriving that but ill and expensively (from Bessy’s powers of management being completely nullified by her ignorance of the language), and being in the midst of the bustle of a Metropolis, struggling against its distractions and its expenses without success, my mind I assure you has been kept in a continued state of fever, which was not a little increased by the Longmans having pledged me to the public for a work of which there are not # hundred lines written, and the proceeds of which, you may well believe, are essentially necessary to my existence at present. However, all this is, I trust, now at an end. I have been lucky enough to find a Cottage, just such as you know I like for a workshop, within fifteen minutes walk of Paris (indeed hardly out of it), to which we take ourselves on Monday next, and out of which I shall seldom stir till I have brought up my arrears in

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all directions, to you as well as to others. My address now is, No. 11, Allee des Veuves, “Champs Elysees.” “Life swarms with ills for us all, but they are made much worse by yielding to them - therefore, courage ! and hope for better days.”

”You may depend upon having all the third Number [National Melodies’] before the end of June.” “I doubt whether the Irish Melodies would be practicable if I stay in Paris. I promise you, however, before the end of the year, a sort of Musical Tour, made up of Songs and Poems, which I think I shall make something catching of. As to any thing about the King for the Oratorio, my heart would not go along with it. Such things always do me more harm than good, and I have never ceased to regret the Song I threw away in the same manner on the Duke of Wellington.” Four Letters, three 4to., one 8vo., 7th April, 3rd, 19th, 27th June, 1820
”Fudge Family in Italy, which is not to appear.” The Longmans have been as liberal and considerate under this disappointment as they are indeed in every matter in which I am concerned with them. I should like (if you have no objection) to apply the materials which I have for the 3rd Number [National Melodies] to my little Musical Tour.” “Pray tell Mr. Croker that I am delighted with his excellent ideas of subjects for the Irish Melodies, and that I will answer his letter in a very few days.” “I find your brother is about to publish the words of all the Irish Melodies, and that Mr. Sullivan (who is here and informed me of the circumstance) is to write a preface. Mr. Sullivan, by the bye, tells me also that the reason of the compromise between you and Sir John is the discovery of some receipts which were supposed to have been lost by Stevenson, and which enabled him to prove some parts of his case against you more strongly than before. Is this true?” “I suppose you were somewhat alarmed about ns from the exaggerated accounts of the “Riots here [Paris] that reached London. All

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is now perfectly quiet.” “I sent you three songs by Lady Davy, and you have here two more,” &c. “My book, after all, is not to come out. You shall know why when I write again.’’

One Letter, 4 th July, 1820

“The subjects I send you now are both good for designs, there are many more verses to ‘Who’ll buy my love-knots,’ but the two first would afford an excellent subject to Stothard.” “I shall give all the assistance in my power towards the publication of the words of my Melodies, &c. and by having the work set up here, which can be done for eight or ten pounds, the delay and trouble of sending proofs backwards and forwards may be avoided. I shall also write a short preface for you. We have come on a visit to some friends at Sevres (about 5 or 6 miles from Paris), who have purchased a beautiful place here, and lent us a cottage in their grounds. I shall stay in it as long as I can, for it is perfectly quiet, and surrounded with delicious scenery, and (tho’ last, not least) free of much expense.”

Eight Letters, one folio, five 4to., two 8vo. (one of two sides), 12th July, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 18th, 21st, 28th, 31st August, 1820 La Butte. “I send you three more Songs, which will make up the number of twelve National Melodies. I shall continue at intervals sending you more, in order that we may choose the best, and shall do my best in order to get up a number of Irish Melodies for you at the time you mention. But I shall want Bunting sent over to me : do not, however, send it till you hear further on the subject from me.” “I am at present living at but little expense, being on a visit to some friends, with whom I dare say we shall stay for two months longer.” “As soon as I receive the Irish Airs I shall set lustily about the 8th Number, and in the meantime I hope to send you two very pretty Nationals which I have lately got.”
” I send you a National Melody and an Irish one, which I hope you will like, though you have become so cautious in expressing

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your opinion of what I send, that it is a very long time since I had the satisfaction of knowing whether you approved of them or not. I shall go on now as industriously as my materials will let me with the Eighth Number, though I must say that the difficulty of squeezing it out in this hurried way is such as, under any other circumstances, or for any one else, not six times the sum I am to get for it would induce me to undertake, and I think you know me well enough to be aware that this is no idle flourish.”
” The advertisement had better run thus.” [Of the Eighth Number of the Irish Melodies being nearly ready for press, and the preparation of the letter-press of the whole work in a Volume, tvith illustrations’]. “I send you two Irish Melodies and a National one, which I think you’ll own is very industrious.”

Three Letters, 8vo., 3rd, 10th, and 28th September, 1820

“I have done one more Irish Melody since I wrote, and if I am lucky in my operations, hope to be able to send you three more by my next dispatch, which will complete the half of our Number.” “I have been lucky enough to achieve the three Irish Melodies in the time I said, which now gives us half our Number, and they are all such as may stand. The other Bunting will be a great reinforcement to us, as I think I have exhausted my present forces. The weather is again delightful, and we are still in our beautiful abode at Sevres.” “I send you three more Irish Melodies. I hope you will admire my poetical description of the Poiteen [Drink of this cup.’] It strikes me that this number will be, contrary to my first expectations, a very good one. I have received the Bunting by Ellis.”* Seven Letters, four 4 to. (one of two sides), two 8vo. (one of

two sides), one 12mo. (two sides), 5th, 9th, 10th,

26th, and 31st October, 1820
” Mrs. Moore bids me tell you (what she knows you will be

* William Henry Ellis, Esq., an Irish Barrister.

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glad to hear) that her sisfer has just been confined, and is the mother of a little boy.” « c I send you our tenth Melodv. I shall be delighted to do something on the subject of O’Donohue and his White Horse, but I have not by me the extracts which Mr. Croker gave me relating to it. If he should not be in London to furnish you with them, pray get Weld’s Book on Killarney, in which I believe the details may be found, and get them copied out for me immediately. I have an air which I think would suit the subject/’ “By last post I sent you an Irish Melody. I am now searching anxiously for an air, at once spirited and melancholy, to which I may write some words allusive to Grattan. Our National work ought not to terminate without some remembrance of him. This and the Song upon Donohue will make the twelve. The materials of the latter I look to you for.” “I am getting on with my verses on Grattan, for which I have been lucky enough to find a suitable air. They will I flatter myself be no small ornament to outnumber. I forgot to say that I think Mr. Croker’s design for the Title very tasteful and elegant, and that I have no

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change whatever to suggest in it.” “I have copied out the lines upon Grattan for you, but had not room for the last verse. I shall send it to you however with the Music, by the next opportunity; and hope to have the Song upon Donohue for you in the course of next week.” Proposes writing verses for a work the Music to be selected from Blangini’s Notturnes.
” I send you the remaining verses of the Donohue Song. Tell Mr. Croker that he may put the young girl into his drawing, standing beside the Lake and looking at the visionary chieftain in the distance. I intend to say that one of the traditions about Donohue is a girl having gone wild and thrown herself into the Lake for love of him. You shall have Blangini the next thing. I have not been very well this week past, and rather think that the anxious struggle I am for ever kept in between the importunities of society and the effort to be busy is beginning to shew itself in the state of my nerves and general health. Do you know that Lord John Russell has dedicated the second edition of his last book to me, and signed himself my
• attached friend.’ This is truly flattering.”

Three Letters, one 4to., two 8vo. (one of two sides), 6th, 13th, and 20th November, 1820
• I have been obliged to tell Murray and Wilkie fairly, that I cannot finish the Life of Sheridan satisfactorily to myself while I stay here, and that therefore they must draw upon me for the sum which they have advanced upon it. This is very magnificent of me, but how I am to manage the magnificence is yet in the clouds.” “I send you the first verse of my song on Donohue [Of all the fair Months’]. You had better have a sketch made from this subject, representing the Lake of Killarney and a number of spirits both male and female, gliding over it, strewing flowers around them, while a warrior on a white horse is seen in a sort of indistinct, visionary way at a distance on the water- Consult Mr. Croker about it. By my next you shall have the Music of the Grattan Soug, and per-

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haps the remaining verses of Donohue, but you can proceed with the Sketch on the description I have given.”* “There is going to be a grand dinner and ball here in commemoration of Lord Liverpool’s discomfiture.”

Four Letters, 8vo. (one of two sides), 3rd, 14th, 18th, and 21st December, 1820
” My distractions here, in the way of visitors, &c. increase upon me so as to derange very much my progress in writing. You come off best of any of my employers, because it is that kind of work which can be done at fits and starts, but the great task (to which I look for a sweeping sum to meet my Bermuda compromise stands still), and unless I can find some quieter situation when my time in this house is expired, I don’t know what is to become of me. Yesterday Lord John Russell and Lord Charlemont dined with us. Paris swarms with my friends and acquaintances.” “That paragraph in the Courier was false. I had nothing to do with the proposal for a Public Dinner that was in the Reading Rooms.”

Eight Letters, four 4to., four 8vo., 1st, 8th, 11th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 25th, and 27th January, 1821 Refers to “an accident which (though of no great consequence) has confined me to my bed for these three days past, and may probably for a few days longer.” “The tumour has been lanced, and I have to day got to my sopha.” “I have been busy sending off recommendations for a man [Quere ? Sheridan’s brother-in-law} who is candidate for an office at Dulwich, and wrote to me to use my influence for him.” (i I still feel a little weak after my confinement.” “I have just received an invitation to dine with the Duke of Orleans tomorrow.” “Tell Mr. Croker that I thank him very much for his remarks. He is right as to ‘again’, it having been put by

* A Drawing in Sepia of this subject was made by Mr. Martin, but it has never been engraved, and remains in Mr. Power’s family.

G 2

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mistake instead of ‘once more,’ and you will have the goodness to have the latter words inserted in place of ‘again’ The other passage he has remarked is no mistake, but quite as I intended it. It may be possibly, however, obscure to others as well as to him, and, therefore, had better be put thus ‘howe’er the world may shake It’s inmost core/ You will see that this is carefully done/’*

* See, the Song of “Thee, thee, only thee,” in the Irish Melodies, where this passage now stands-

“howe’er the world may wake Its grief, its scorn,” -

The Air Staca an Mharaga (the Market Stake), to which Mr. Moore’s words are adapted, was popular in Ireland as a Jacobite Song - and Mr. Crofton Croker appears to have sent the Music of it to Mr. Power, with a humourous letter informing him that Lord Byron’s Hebrew Melodies having proved to be “out and out failures,” his Lordship was trying his hand upon some Irish Songs, and had “written the following verses to a tune made by an old blind Irish bagpiper named HefFernan,” whom he had engaged on the joint recommendation of Sir John Stevenson and Mr. Bunting to be his travelling accompanyment in Greece. Mr. Power sent on this letter to Mr. Moore, and the use made of it by Moore is perhaps the most extraordinary instance of the beauty of parody in existence -

Scene - The Cidee Cellar. Time, from seven in the evening till four in the morning. Harmonized for the solemn voices of four Irish Law Students.

The closing of day - the candle’s blinking, The morning’s dawn - still finds me drinking Of gin - gin, only gin.*

* Ginnestan is the name given in Persia to an ideal intoxicating region inhabited by Jins or Demons (e^”)> and as clearly demonstrates the affinity of the Erin of the West with the Iran of the East, as the Sunny Persian Shamrack connects itself with the Shamrock of “The Emerald Isle.”

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Five Letters, one folio, four 4to., 9th, 12th, 14th, 15th, and 19th February, 1821
”I have written to Stevenson by this clay’s post to say how surprised,” &c. “We are to have a great dinner here on Patrick’s day. I am to be in the Chair, and either Lord Miltown, o r Lord Charlemont to be my Vice.” “I believe I told you in a letter some time ago, of my being introduced to Mr. Canning at his own request. I dined with him again on Friday last.” [This letter received on the \4th February, is dated Jan. 8, 1821.]
” I wish, when you have an opportunity, you would send me copies (handsomely bound) of the two Numbers of National Melodies for Mademoiselle the Duke of Orlean’s sister.”

When friends are met, and plates are laid,

And supper-time is fast approaching, Uncheer’d by all the board’s parade,

My soul like tapster dreams of broaching The gin - gin, only gin. Whatever in art might wake the palate To suppers, gout, there’s no such sallad

As gin - gin, only gin. Like spice, by which some cook fran<jois

To simple dish can give a relish; Sermons and suppers, grave or gay, Are swallowed down in places Hellish, For gin- gin, only gin. I have not a thought, but of thy waking, And pain is half forgot when taking Sweet gin - gin, only gin. Like Venice glass that topers break, *

When lips have quaff’ d the Wine within it; This heart, as any glass is weak,

And breaks in just as brief a minute For gin - gin, only gin.

* In Italy, after drinking a patriotic toast, it was customary to dash the glass upon the ground, in order that it should not be profaned by other lips. In Ireland the custom of throwing empty bottles at one another’s heads is not unusual, and by a duck or luck they are sometimes broken against the wall.

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Seven Letters, four folio, three 4to., 6th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 23rd, 27th, and 30th Marth, 1821
” I do not quite like the way ‘Thee, Thee,’ is done. You’ll see my remarks on the music.” “At the end of April we go to our new cottage.” Blangini’s Notturni. “You need not wait for an Advertisement to the 8th Number [Irish Melodies] as, for reasons J shall tell you in my nest, I do not mean to put any.” « Mr. Charles Sheridan will send you a packet, which was undone at the Custom House, but the articles are to be distributed thus. The workbox for your Bessy, the puzzle for James, the yellow fan for Mary, and the white one to be folded up and directed to Miss Tegart, Pall Mall, with Mrs. Moore’s compliments. I suppose you have no objection to my beginning another Number of the Nationals for you forthwith. Lord John, I think lives in Stanhope Street, but you can inquire at Lord Tavistock’s in Arlington Street.”

Five Letters, one folio, two 4 to., two 8vo., 5th, 12th, 16th, 24th, and 27th April, 1821
”If Perry puts in the lines I inclose (they are about Naples, and dated Champs Elysees), pray send a copy of the paper directed to Miss Dalby, Castle Donington, Cavendish Bridge, Leicestershire.” “The book is magnificent, and worthy of the most royal hands; though I almost grudge it to her Highness, and shall at least have the showing of it to every one else before I let her have it.” “I was very glad to find my account with you (for the first time, I believe) creditable for me in every sense of the word.” w x\s soon as Lord Byron’s tragedy is out, pray send it to me through Mr. Greville, - don’t forget this.”

Eight Letters, one irregular size, five 4to., two 8vo. (both of

two sides). 1st, 3rd (two), 5th, 8th, 10th, 22nd, and

29th|May, 1821

“I send you a National Melody, which I think you will like,

and pray keep Mr. Bishop’s learning down as much as you

can.” “My money goes from me most rapidly in this change

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of residence.” “We have been working hard at all sorts of gaiety this week past.” “I have just received a most flattering letter from Mademoiselle d’Orleans, with the present of a clock for my chimney-piece - so you see what the splendid binding has done.” “She [Miss Power’] dined with us yesterday at our neighbours the Villamil’s to meet some French Princesse s and Countesses.” “Pray let me have Bowles’s answer to Lord Byron, just published - and will you tell my friend Thomas Campbell (who I rejoice to hear is become very well acquainted with you), that I shall answer his letter by next post.”

Three Letters, one 4to. two 8vo. (one of three, the other of two

sides). 4th, two (received?) and 10th June, 1821

Sends the additional verses to {i Who’ll buy my love knots ?”

“You seem to wish that I should work double tides this year,

and indeed my expenses here will make it necessary - for I am

still too near the shoal of friends I have in Paris, and the

hospitalities I am obliged to exercise (as Jane will tell you)

impose a tax upon me, which if I stay beyond this year in

France, I am determined not to incur again.” “Bessy begs

you will contrive to bring her back from Ireland a tabbinet gown,

purple, and it would also gratify her very much if you could

find leisure some Sunday to go and see our poor Barbara’s

grave, and give a few shillings to the Sexton to keep it in good

order. You will, of course, not mention in your letter to me if

you should find it in a bad or ruinous state, but do what is

necessary towards repairing it, and tell Bessy it is quite as ifc

should be. As soon as I have got through the fourth Number

of Nationals, I shall I think attempt something of the dramatic

kind, we once mentioned, for private performance.” “I wish

to have the duett, * Our first young love resembles,’ (Blangini)

dedicated to Mrs. Villamil,” (of La Butte Coaslin). “Your

brother’s proceeding with respect to the 8th Number is, to be

sure, most daring.”

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Four Letters, two 4to., two 8vo. (one of two sides). 16th, 20th, 21st, and 29th July, 1821
” I take for granted this will find you still in Dublin.” Mrs. Moore has gone “into Wiltshire, to see my books deposited in some safe place upon the giving up of our cottage there, which will henceforth only be let with land - an undertaking I, of course, should not wish to embark in.” “I am sorry to find that the double tide working which I proposed for this year will press too hard upon you.” “If I can finish pretty soon a great work I am about, I shall have plenty of money this next year.” “I most anxiously hope that your business in Dublin will be settled satisfactorily, and (what must be a great object to you) speedily”* “Between ourselves, I am just now

* DUBLIN ROLLS COURT- July 24 avd 25, 1821. J. Power v. W. Power.

On the 3rd of July, Tames Power, of the Strand, London, music seller, obtained an injunction to restrain William Power, of Westmoreland-street, Dublin, from publishing a pirated edition of the Eighth Number of Moore’s Irish Melodies; the said James Power having the sole property in the above-mentioned work, by deed of assignment from Thomas Moore, Esq., the author. On the 17th inst Mr. O’Connell, on behalf of W. Power, moved the Court to dissolve the injunction.

The decision of the Court was, that the injunction should remain undisturbed till the case was argued.

This important case came on yesterday and the day before, to be argued on its merits, before his honour the Master of the Rolls.

It appeared from the statement of Counsel on the side of the plaintiff, that he had entered into an engagement with Mr. Moore in the year 1811, for a period of seven years, the latter covenanting to supply the former with one number of Irish Melodies and certain other works specified, for the consideration of an annuity of ,£500, which was to be paid him by plaintiff. In 1812 plaintiff entered into an agreement by deed with defendant, by which he gave him the licence of publishing Moore’s Works in Ireland solely, in consideration of defendant paying him 2-5ths of said annuity; said deed to be considered null and void whensoever the defendant should fail to pay- his quota of annuity to plaintiff. On the expiration of the seven years, after 6ome time

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negotiating the sale of Lord Byron’s Memoirs, which you know he made me a present of, and which he is anxious I should turn to account in a pecuniary way. I have asked two thousand pounds for them. They would be worth three times that, if they were to be published immediately, but they are not to appear till after Lord B’s death, which makes a great difference, I am, however, determined to sell them to the best bidder. This of course you will keep to yourself.” Sends communication from Professor Momigney “who is anxious to be employed by you.” “I wish you to get me a few hundred more of those papers for my books struck off.” “I have not been able yet to see Madame de Broglie, about Knyvett’s Air (as he chooses

plaintiff entered into a new agreement with Mr. Moore for a further term of six years, under which agreement, and in this present year, the Eighth Number of the Melodies, which forms the subject under litigation, was delivered by Mr. Moore to plaintiff, and by him published as his sole property, which appeared by deed of assignment as well as by the regular deed of agreement. The defence set up by W. Powell was, that he in fact was the sole proprietor of all Moore’s Melodies, and that plaintiff had no right to publish them even in England, without his concurrence and approbation; but he totally failed in shewing any written document whatever in support of his assertion. His case was ably argued by Messrs. Joy, O’Connell, and Bennet, who displayed much ingenuity, by arguing on the assertions of the Solicitor upon facts which were not contained in the pleadings.

The plaintiff’s case was argued with great clearness and talent by the Solicitor- General, Mr. Plunkett, and Mr. Adair.

The Master of the Rolls, in giving his decision, said, that the defendant had set up two defences, neither of which were tenable. The plaintiff had established his title by the production of the assignment from Mr. Moore, in whom the property was vested, from his having written the work himself, it would be very injurious to the copyright of literary productions, if an injunction should be withheld from the plaintiff, who claims his right by virtue of such deed, when the defendant has no written document to substantiate his claim, nor is there a word of the existence of such document sworn to or set forth in the pleadings. He concluded by saying, that he would give an order that the injunction obtained by Mr. James Power in this case, should stand unmoved, till the defendant should shew any legal title to the work before a court of law.

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to call it). It was she who danced to it five or six years ago, and called it a Cossack Dance. How long is Knyvett’s Glee published? Knyvett’s originality is a ticklish subject, and he had better not make a stir about it.” Note of introduction for Doctor Williams to Mr. Power.

Four Letters, three 4to., one 8vo., 6th and 13th August, 3rd and 17th September, 1821
” As to the Air claimed by Knyvett, I have been able to learn no more than I have communicated in my letter to you some weeks since. But if his composition appeared but within these three years, I can safely swear that I heard the Cossack Air five or six years since. I will however write to Madame cle Broglie on the subject. I inclose six National Melodies, almost all of which I think lucky ones- set Bishop to work.”
” You are welcome back to London. I am not yet decided as to the incognito trip I mentioned to you.” •’ I mean to leave this on my incog, trip about Wednesday next, so that I shall arrive in London on Saturday or Sunday. You will lose no time in sending the inclosed note to Rogers’s housekeeper. I mean to sleep there but shall board with you.”

Two Letters, one 4to., one 8vo., 2nd and 22nd October, 1821

“St. James’s Place. Here I am again, and mean to come to you as soon as I have written some letters.” signed T. Dyke.
” I shall come to Buckingham Street, early, and will dine with you, if it suits me.”

Four Letters, two 4to., two 8vo., 2nd, 15th, 27th and 29th November, 1821
” Salisbury, Thursday, four o’clock. I have been put out of my accustomed line of Coaches by being obliged to paya visit at some distance from Calne, and though I have but little doubt of getting a place in some of the Night-Coaches, yet as ill luck may come across me, I just write this line to tell you my situation in order that you may know why I do not appear

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at dinner, and prevail on Mr. Bishop to meet me at breakfast on Saturday.” “I send you the second verse of ’Bright be thy dreams/ I merely have written the Notes, without marking the time as I do not well remember it.” li I inclose the last proofs. We certainly have no reason to complain of Bishop’s display of his science this time.” “In my next I hope to be able to tell you about ‘Hark, the Vesper Hymn,’ as Madame de Broglie is in Paris.”

Six Letters, one 4to., five 8vo., 10th, 13th, 17th, 24th, and

27th December, 1821
” I have enquired of Madame de Broglie about the Air, and she cannot give me any farther account of it than that she heard it in France as a Cossack Air, and always considered it as such. But I think you have nothing else to do than to assert stoutly that it is a Russian Air, and let Knyvett prove that it is not.” Refers to Perry’s death. “I am therefore obliged to draw upon you through Lafitte, till I can arrange something of the same kind with my friend Kinnaird, to whom I write by this day’s post.” “Madame de Broglie is not an Opera Dancer, but a Duchess, and it was in private society I saw her dance that tune about seven or eight years ago. You may call ‘Row gently here,’ a Venetian Air.” “I send back the proofs. These two Duetts are very beautifully done, and the symphony to ’When first that smile,’ is beautiful.” “1 return the last proof with my benediction- may the work prosper!” “You shall soon have some grist for the Musical Mill.”

Five Letters, one 4 to., four 8vo., undated (1821)

“Keep my coming as secret as you can - too many here know it.” “My Mother some time ago sent a bottle of eyewater to you for me. I hope it has come safely to your hands and that you will be able to forward it to me by some early opportunity. Will you tell the Longmans to send to Villamil by whatever mode they can manage it, ‘The theory of the

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projection of Rockets by Colonel Congreve.” “You saw the poem of Lord Byron to me correctly (since you wrote) in the Chronicle and Examiner.” “I am at present working as hard as the world will let me to patch up the work I wrote a year or two ago (Rhymes on the Road) for publication this Spring, in order to meet the heavy debt the Longmans have against me and get rid of the Insurance.”

Seven Letters, one 4to., five 8vo., (two of two sides) one 12mo.

7th, 14th, 21st, 22nd, 24th, 28th and 31st January,

1822
”With reference to Mr. Kinnaird - “You will see by his letter (which I inclose) that the sort of credit he offers me is no additional accommodation whatever, as Lafitte just * as readily cashes my Bills upon you as they would on Ransom; and the only difference Kinnaird’s plan would make consists in its being more round-about and troublesome.” “I am at present driven to meet more than my usual scale of expenditure - so much so that I think it will be prudent (from every consideration) to sacrifice two months rent of my lodgings and return to England in March instead of May as I first intended. A good Summer of application in England will give me an overflowing purse once more, and in the mean time I know I may rely upon you to help in keeping my chin above water.”
” I am not left one minute to myself here.” “Will you have the goodness to look among the books and things of mine sent to you from Mr. Rogers, for a Manuscript book called ‘Mrs. Brown’s Album, and send it immediately to Murray. He and I have got into a scrape about this trumpery volume,” &c.
” Have you ever done anything about those MSS. of John Brown’s that are in your hands? I hope you have got them copied, as otherwise we shall be called upon for the originals suddenly and lose them entirely. Indeed they ought to have been in his sister’s possession long before now.” - “I suppose you know Stevenson is in London.” “I cannot do anything

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here, and I mean to bolt for London in about a month or six weeks.” “How could you suppose, my dear Sir, that I meant to compare what Bishop has done to your brother’s piracy of the Eighth Number 1 I must have been very ingenious indeed to find out any resemblance between the two transactions. No, I alluded to Stevenson’s continuation of the Irish Melodies with another Poet, for which both he and your brother (though cast off by us) thought necessary to apologize to me, and I compared it to Bishop’s having done the very same sort of thing (though our ally) without thinking it necessary to make any apology at all. As to his statement about Golding, lam much inclined from what I have heard, to doubt it, as I have reason to think that the plan was arranged between him and young Bailey in one of his last year’s visits to Bath.”

Four Letters, one 4to., two 8vo., one 12mo. } 3rd and

February, 4th and 21st March, 1822
” I seem destined to have all my little plans for quiet and comfort disturbed. The Smiths are leaving La Butte (Mrs. S. not finding it agree with her health), and now if I go to the cottage it will be subject to the chance of being turned out by the new tenant, whoever it may be. Meantime our furniture, my books, writing things, &c. are gone out there. I know not what to do, for I cannot afford to take any other place, and this is full of inconvenience.” “Few things could give me more pleasure than those symptoms (however slight) of a reconciliation between you and Stevenson; as nothing has given me more pain, since I knew you, than the interruption of harmony (in every sense of the word) which your difference with him has produced among us. You will be sorry to hear that, after having arranged for the retaking of our cottage, and for Bessy’s departure in about ten days in order to get it ready for me, we have just learned that the ‘old Victualler ‘(as Lord Lansdowne calls him) has again got possession of it, and we are ousted, I suppose, for ever. This disconcerts my plans

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amazingly.” “I forgot last time to tell you that I had received the 3rd Number, and like it exceedingly. I only hope the public will be of my opinion about it. I have secured the copyright [in France’] of the words both of this and the second Number by having a few copies printed.” “Lord John Russell receives and franks my letters for my Mother.” “I am still in hopes that I shall be able to start for England about the latter end of next week, but it depends upon what the Longmans do with respect to the Bermuda claim.”

Five Letters, four 4to., one 8vo., 1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, and 11th

April, 1822

“There is as yet no letter from Longmans, and I almost fear there will be some obstacle to my going - at least to reside in London.”
”Still no letter to decide about returning.”
“Inclosed is the letter from Longmans, which you will see

dooms me to further banishment.” “I mean to start at all

hazards for London about Saturday next, and shall set to work

with Bishop for you till it is finished. Say nothing, however,

about my coming, as it may perhaps be dangerous.” “Not a

line from anybody - my lodgings are half dismantled. I have

just packed off my fine clock to be sent to England. My

rooms are full of packing cases; and I have all the uncomforta-

bleness of going without being able to decide whether I shall

go or not. The person to whom the Villamils have let La

Butte (Smith, Lord Carrington’s brother) has offered us our

Pavilion for the summer in the kindest manner.” “I mean to

start on Saturday.”

Six Letters, three 4 to., three 8vo. (one of two sides), 9th, 20th,

21st, 23rd, 27th, and 28th May, 1822

“Direct to me at ‘La Butte Coaslin a Sevres, Paris/ “

“The worst of it all is, too, the delay and difficulty I find in

getting any sort of a quiet apartment to fly to. All are so dear,

so noisy, so diabolical. Curse the place altogether. I am

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determined to make any sacrifice to be able to live in England once more.” “The £ 100 I draw for (your name is a tower of strength to me), shall not fall upon your shoulders when due; no, not if there is a stiver to be raised upon all Parnassus. Seriously, I was in hopes not to be obliged to draw upon you for some months to come, and the Bill shall be renewed when due.” “I have found a lodging for the summer (19, Rue Basse Passy, a Paris) dear enough you may suppose, from the season being so far advanced - but I was glad enough after all my distractions to get anything.” Stewardship at Literary Fund.

Seven Letters, one 4to., four 8vo., two 12mo., 3rd, 6th, 1 7th, 25th, 27th, 28th, and 30th June, 1822
” I wish you would send to Longmans’ for Keppel Craven’s account of the Revolution of Naples.” “I am sorry to see that Bishop’s music to Coleman’s Opera is not highly spoken of. It seems, however, to succeed.” “I have hardly strength to hold my pen with the excessive heat of the weather. The thermometer has been most of these days above 90, and if it goes on increasing as the summer advances, I don’t know how we shall bear it.” “I am just now writing post in order to get a Poem out which I have begun (or rather begun to finish) lately, upon finding that Lord Byron had taken the same subject, and I want if possible to have mine published before his. Do not say a word about this, as Longmans expect quite a different thing from me, and I do not mean to tell them how I am employed till ready to go to press.” “I have been revising very anxiously the Sacred Songs, and I am sorry to tell you that it is impossible for me to let them appear as they are. There must be at least five or six new ones to make this Volume at all what it ought to be.” “I am very quiet here and working away I trust prosperously.” “I have had a most doleful letter from Count de Lagarde,” &c.

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Four Letters, one 4to., three Svo. (one of four sides), 5th, 8th, 12th and 1 8th July, 1822
” You know the way used to be that if I struck out a symphony to my own Songs, well and good; but that if not, Stevenson supplied me.” Mentions his article on the Fathers in the Edinburgh Review. “I forget the Number, but it is one of the year 1817, I think.” “You seem doomed to disappointments of every kind. That Air (which I had not the slightest idea was Bishop’s) has been floating in my memory for many, many years.” “I am glad that you are able to print Bishop’s air.” “When I was in London (this is entirely between ourselves) Jeffrey offered if I would come to give me half of the Edinburgh Review. This would be, I understand, between seven and eight hundred a year to me, and would not take, I should think, more than a month’s labour out of every quarter. If you should find, in a little time, your agreement too burdensome, I have strong ideas of accepting Jeffrey’s offer. I have had also, within these three days, through Brougham, a proposal which (though I cannot accept of it) flatters me exceedingly. It is that I should replace the present powerful Editor of the Times (who is ill) in writing the leading Article for that paper. It was proposed to pay me at the rate of twelve hundred a year, but being thought capable of wielding such a potent political machine as the Times, was, I own, what pleased and flattered me most in the transaction - the more perhaps from my feeling conscious that I do not deserve it. I have written to decline the offer, but pray do not breathe a syllable about it to any one.”