Notes from Autograph Letters of Thomas Moore to Mr Power

[cont.]

Seven Letters, three 4to., three 8vo., one 12mo., 6th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 17th, 23rd and 27th March, 1827
” When you are sending my hats, there need only come two of them, as I always keep an old one in town smartly lined for the evening.” “What do you think of the division in the Commons? It made my heart sick.” “Barnes, I see has not taken the hint about the puff. I must pluck up courage enough to ask again. My neighbour, Colonel Napier, who has gone to town, has undertaken to make Jones do his best in some design, to which I can write.” “You see the Times gave us a little puff at last; very good and flattering as far as the Poetry is concerned, but I wish that they had not said that the Music was ‘chiefly’ by Bishop - because in the first place it is not true, and in the next, because I fear, between ourselves, such an announcement will do us no good, Bishop having rather lost ground. I have always told you that this work would not do much, and I fear you will find me but too true a prophet. But we shall pull up in the Annual !” “The following is the Dedication which I send as requiring more time to get done than the Preface.

To Mrs. Jeffrey. in remembrance of the pleasant hours passed at Craig-Crook, with her and my valued friend, her husband, I have great pleasure in inscribing the following work. Thomas Moore. I have begged of Eees to tell you whether this is the way to spell Craig-Crook.” “I had had this Preface or rather a Preface not at all like it ready to send you yesterday under a cover

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to Lord Lansdowne- but just as I was folding it up I took it into my head to alter it altogether, and I hope you will like it in its present form.” “You may guess how I’m bothered with interruptions. Here has been a Mr. Teeling this morning all the way from Ireland for the purpose of reading to me part of a History of the Rebellion of ’98, and I have been obliged to ask him to dinner for the purpose - otherwise you would not have had your Preface, nor the Printers to-morrow their proof, if he had engrossed, as he fully intended to do, my morning with his damned Rebellion.”

Seven Letters, three 4to., four 8vo., 6th, 8th, 17th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd and 27th April, 1827
” I wanted to get rid of ‘Old Nick’ in the • When Love,’ (as it would not quite suit female lips) and I think I have succeeded pretty well.” “The Article in the Magazine is very flattering, and (not much less welcome) the salmon was excellent.” “What comical work is going on in politics ! Some thing good may come out of it.” “I never again will have a Dedication engraved.” “I have been all the morning with Lord L - . Nothing yet settled. This between ourselves.”
” 1000 thanks for the mackerel and for your good joke with them.” “If the thing is done, it is of no consequence, but it is worth nine pence to have a thing right, and I only wish we could always have things right at so cheap a rate. I have been with my neighbour all the morning- nothing settled yet, but within an ace of it.” “I hope you were amused with the account of my annuity from the Times, ^g2000 a year. It shows what some people think me worth, God help them !”
” The following is the verse for ’The Garland I send thee,” and it is to come third instead of second.

’ The rest were all cull’d from the banks of that glade Where watching the sunset, so often we stray’ d; And mourned, as the time flew, that Love hath no power To {throw, struck out) bind in his {sweet, struck out) chain {over, struck out) even one happy hour.’

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“To give you some idea of the trials I make of these things without hitting what I wish, I’ll write one or two of my experiments at this verse for you.”

* The rest were all cull’d on the banks of that stream (Where so oft we wandered - struck out) We gazed on so often in hope’s happy dream, And thought that its current would cease to flow by Ere love should be altered, or that dream would die.

The rest were all cull’d in that shady alcove Whose spring leaves first heard,’ &c. &c. I havn’t time for the rest. T. M.”

Eight Letters, one 4 to., five 8vo. (three of two sides) two, 12mo., 4th (two), 11th, 14th, 15th, 17th, 26th, and 28th May, 1827. Sends a verse of twelve lines :

“In yon leafy bower,

Through which the Moon peeps, At this witching hour A fairy boy sleeps.”
” This is all pretty well, but the idea altogether was not so good as the other. You see there is now no doubt that Lord Lansdowne is coming in. God send he may be able to do something for me ! I am almost tired of working.” “You have not said what you did with the verses I sent you from the Epicurean. I now transcribe you the only thing like a regular Song that it contains,

“Oh, Abyssinian tree,” &c.

“I am going to inflict upon you a tailoring commission for me. My former poor snip is a bankrupt (as I have learned by a demand upon me from his assignees for payment), and I must accordingly proceed to break another. My only evening coat not being in a state to stand a dinner by day-light, I must have

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one ready for me when I come up, and what I want you to do is, to send the inclosed to Nugee in Pall Mall, and to take the trouble of calling there to know from him whether he can, without taking my measure, make a coat sufficiently well upon this pattern for me. He is Washington Irving’ s tailor, and the only one I know any thing of, beyond my own,” &c. “You observe the impudent publication announced of ‘Rhymes of the Times?’ Galignani had already done the same, with my name to it, making an omission - gatherums of all that everybody has written in the Times for this year past ! - ‘I do not understand enough about Sopranos or Tenors to know whether there is much importance in the change of names, and only wish he had left them simply, First, Second, and Third Voice.” “I have just had a letter from a Parish Clergyman, so far off as Natchez, Mississi])pi, sending me a book of Hymns, and telling me the pride he felt at seeing two of his Hymns inserted, as mine, in an American Edition of my Sacred Songs.” “I hope you didn’t think the trash last week in the Times mine. I haven’t had time to send any thing to it for a long while.” “The Coat is to be blue, with yellow buttons, and to be exactly after the pattern of the other - for, though no great things in the way of fit, he would only make it worse by at all departing from it.” ‘’ The Salmon and its trimmings (the ^20) arrived quite safe - a thousand thanks.”

Six Letters, three 4 to. (one of two sides) tv/o 8vo. one 12mo., 4th June, 3rd, 16th, 20th, 24th, and 30th July, 1827. Domestic afflictions (which are explained) have retarded Mr. Moore’s annual visit to town. “Pray send the inclosed to Mrs. D. Just off to Harrow.” “I promised to meet Mrs. Shelley to sing for her at 34, Strand, to-morrow at 3 o’clock.” “Our young neighbour, Lord Kerry, dines with us to-morrow, and if I had had earlier notice of it, I should have thrown a line out at you for some fish - but as it is, flesh must suffice.” Sends three verses of a Song ‘The Painter to his Mistress.’

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“How shall I paint thee, mistress mine !

How catch the lights that fly So changing o’er that cheek of thine,

Or fix that spiritual eye ?” &c.
” I also send T. Cooke’s Song, which will be one of your many do-nothings.” Four Letters, one 4to., three 8vo. (one of two sides), 2nd, 10th, 22nd, and 30th August, 1827.
” I have been employing myself in looking over all my unpublished Manuscripts, with a view to the Miscellany, and I know it will give you pleasure to hear that there is a considerable portion of materials which, with a little furbishing up, will go far towards making out our first volume. This is to me an unexpected discovery, and I lose no time in informing you of it. You shall soon have the First Canto of an Eastern Tale, in order to extract a subject for a design from it. I find too, by my memorandums, that Rees has got in his hands some verse translations of mine from the Fathers which were originally inserted in the Notes to my Loves of the Angels, and which I shall get from him for our work.” “I also send you two things I have done this week for the Miscellany - the first is a specimen of a Series of Translations from the modester parts of the ancient amatory Poets, which I have long projected, and towards which I have a few things by me from Catullus. The other is a lively thing from the French. I think the sketch you sent me very clever indeed - but I am afraid the details of such a subject would be dangerous to venture upon for such a work as we must make ours. It might be done, perhaps, in prose.”
” This lamentable death, though it grieves me deeply, did not take me by surprise, I have looked upon him as a gone man these two months past.”* “You have herewith the verses of the Eastern Story, from which I think a design might be taken.’’
” There are likewise two more translations from the Latin, which

« The Rt. Hon. George Canning died 8th August, 1827, at Chiswick.

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you will put by carefully.” “They wanted us to stay for the wedding, (his [ Benetfs~\ daughter is going to be married to Lord Charles Churchill) but I could not spare the time.” “I shall keep the drawing to shew it to my neighbour Napier.” “I was going to say that the drawing which I send you back is so pretty, that on second thoughts, I will write words to it. What do you think ?” “As soon as I ascertain Lord Lansdowne’s movements (for he is expected down, and I believe I may add out) it is my intention to take a trip into Nottinghamshire to see Newstead and visit, by the way, our Derbyshire friends, I shall then be able, I trust, to get Mrs. Arkwright’s permission to publish some of her Songs in our Miscellany.”

Five Letters, one 4to., four 8vo., 4th, lvth, 16th, 19th, and 23rd September, 1827
” I am just setting off for Bowood, to pass a day or two with the Home Secretary, which, as far as I can yet learn, he continues still to be.” “You shall have a long Prose piece from me in the course of this week.” “I did not know that my Prose sketch was so long - there is about as much more, which you shall have by the next opportunity. I passed three days at Bowood last week, which prevented my sending it before, and I am going there again to-morrow.” “I trust I shall be able to get through this next year, without doing any thing more for the Times. This, between ourselves. I want to devote myself entirely to our Miscellany and my Life of Byron. We are about to cut down our establishment to one woman servant, which will make a difference, I think, adequate to * * * in our expenses - not so much from the actual saving of what a servant costs, as from the impossibility of company keeping which it will bring with it.” “I want now by next parcel Lady Morgan’s Life of Salvator Rosa.” “You shall have the remainder of the Paris Sketch, and something else, in a day or two.” “I shall bring up with me all that I have for you, and you will get ready any thing you want me to dispatch during my stay.”

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Pour Letters, 8vo., 3rd, 5th, 24th, and 29th October, 1827

Northampton. Directions respecting Papers left on the mantle-piece in his bed-room. “Lwish I could have brought on that ill-treated bed with me. I shall hardly get so comfortable a one till I return to it again.” “I am obliged to send my new Coat up. It cuts me so under the shoulders that I cannot wear it. Pray go to Nugee’s, and tell them that they must alter it carefully and immediately, and send it down directed to me at Rt. Hon. Lord Rancliffe’s, Bunny Park, Nottingham. Tell them that the tightness under the arms makes it wrinkle both before and behind, and that I depend on their altering it properly.” Bowood. “I arrived at home safe and sound the day before yesterday, and found all pretty well. My journey was very agreeable, but (except in one instance) not very profitable in the way of business. That one instance, you will be glad to hear, was Mrs. Arkwright, who has placed “all her Songs entirely at my disposal ! Indeed, nothing could be more prompt and unreserved than her compliance with my request - so that we are well provided in that department. I should like to have returned home to quiet after my pleasure, but this place is now full of my friends, and they have laid hands on me the instant of my arrival.” “I hope you saw the account of my reception at the Ball at Cheltenham.” “I take for granted you know Mrs. Shelley’s address.” Four Letters, one 4to., three 8vo. (one of two sides), 6th, 12th, 19th, and 26th November, 1827
” I am likely now to be left a little more to myself, and shall send you things oftener. Rogers has given me something for the Miscellany, and my neighbour Paul Methuen has written (wonderful to say) a very pretty and poetical thing for it. I have much to say with regard to our plan, which, I think, must be altered - Annuals have now become so common.” “Did you see there was an East India Ship, called the Lalla Rookh,

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arrived ? The owners of it, I find, meditated giving me and Bessy a party on board, had we not left town so soon.” “I send you also the continuation of the Sketches in Pere La Chaise, of which you already had the commencement. You shall have the conclusion by another opportunity, though it is hardly worth while sending it, as I have resolved to w r rite a verse Tale on the first Anecdote, which is a most admirable subject for such a purpose, and which, 1 think, I shall make something very touching of.” “The conclusion of the Sketch of Pere La Chaise (which, I consider, one of the best specimens of my prose style) &c.” Betrays evident annoyance at the popular success of the Song of “Cherry ripe.”
” Here is a duett that has cost me some trouble, both from the number of verses, and their metre. But the air is very pretty as well as odd, and, I think, will be liked. Pray send a copy of the Evenings in Greece to Mrs. Shelley, No. 51, George Street, Portman Square, with the inclosed note.”

Six Letters, 8vo. (two of two sides, one a very curious letter), 5th, 12th, 15th, 20th, 21st, and 28th December, 1827

“I mean to write a set of Six Legends -this and the duett I sent last (the Leaf and the Fountain), forming two of them. The name may perhaps have some attraction in it. I grieve to hear of your heavy Law bills, and hope, before long, that you will be at rest from such expenses.” “I have been thinking a good deal lately of coming to live in town, but, as yet, only thinking of it. It would be as well, however, if you had an eye about for a small house for me. Somewhere on the verge of the Regent’s Park (the verge nearest town), and not solitary. I want to hit upon some good plan for a Periodical between me and you, that would turn in the Coppers.” “I have succeeded in establishing a Post at Bromham,* a most desirable

* A picturesque village in sight of Sloperton Cottage, between which and it there is a small verdant valley. In the parish church, referred to so playfully

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thing, as you know. I have always had to send five miles for my letters, and have been rarely able to answer the same day The only thing is, that you will have to pay \0d for my letters? and a penny on the newspapers I send you. Do you mind this latter tax?” “You have here the remainder of the former Legend, and a Third, which I think pretty. There will be two more verses of this, but they are not }^et concocted. I have so many letters to answer to-day, that I can say no more.” tl I sent you a little packet through Croker yesterday. “We have a sad prospect before us for the Christmas,” &c. “Rees tells me they have printed off a fifth Edition of the Epicurean.”
” All this illness before us makes it, I fear, impossible for us to have your daughter as we expected during the Christmas. But ’what is deferred is not lost. 1 I expect,” &c. “You have here another Legend, and like the former/’ &c.

One Letter, 12mo. 1827

“I wish you would, when you have time, call at Hookham’s in Bond Street, and bid him give you a Catalogue of his Circulating Library for me, telling him that I think of subscribing to it for a few months.”

Six Letters, four 4to., two 8vo., 1st, 4th, 8th, 15th, 23rd, and 27th January, 1828
” I have had Heath and Reynolds down here expressly to renew the offer of the £Z 00 per ami. They say the Keepsake is beating all its competitors.” “Hope you have been amused by Hunt’s cockney stuff about me and Lord Byron. 5 ‘“I send you another Legend, and having written fourteen letters to-day, have not strength for a word more. To-morrow I start for

by Moore in a dinner invitation to Lord Lansdowne (Sept. 1818), the remains of the Poet, with those of some of his children, now repose.
” But as for me, who’ve long been taught To eat and drink like other people; And can put up with mutton bought

Where Brombam rears its ancient steeple,” &c.

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Mrs. Robert Arkwright’s, and expect to come away from her like a bee, loaded with honey, you shall hear from me on my way.” Nottingham. - “I have been in a constant state of locomotion, ever since I came into this neighbourhood, and have met everywhere the greatest kindness as well as readiness to communicate all the people here knew about Lord Byron. I have indeed collected some very valuable materials, and hope to find still more. To-morrow morning I start for Mrs. Robert Arkwright’s, and expect from my visit all sorts of treasures, both Byronian and musical, as Hodgson (Lord B.’s great friend and correspondent) is to meet me there. My money is run short,” &c. “Mrs. Arkwright gives me everything,” &c.

Seven Letters, three 4to., four 8vo. (one of two sides), 9th February, 4th, 10th, 20th, 22nd, 28th, and 30th March, 1828
” Send ten shillings for me to Gale Jones, No. 5, Wilstedstreet, Somers’ Town.” “Murray, the deuce is in him, has not yet sent me down Miss Fitzclarence’s music book which I left with the things to follow me.” “My sister has lost her girl - her only child. How she will bear it I cannot imagine. I know no more dreadful trial.” “I have by to-day’s post two or three applications from some more of those cursed Annuals, and the day before I left town a man thrust into my pocket (though I took care to throw it out again) a draft for 1 00 guineas for the same number of lines in verse or prose. The people will soon be annually mad.” “The little parcel for Haydon the Painter you will forward at your convenience.”
” In my hurry yesterday I left out Bessy’s little one-pound rag (which I would not let Cobbet get a glimpse of for the world), and, lest you should suppose it lost, send it now through Benett. I hope you liked both the Pig and the Poem we sent yesterday. What is become of the promise of Mrs. Duff’s second appearance? I fear the Managers have (as I thought they

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would) shelf ed her.”* “What I write now for is to answer your question about Mrs. Arkwright’s Song, which I omitted to do in my two last. The stupid Pirates have said that the words are by her, and the music by a Lady of distinction, whereas the music is hers and the words by Tom Campbell. You have perfect authority from me to whom she has given her Songs to do anything (short of going to law) to the fellow who has published it. By the bye, a great difficulty in our future use of her Songs, will be the words she has in general selected, and which are other people’s property.” “I send you the promised Legend,” &c. “Miss Feilding is employed about some sketches for the Legends, and wishes they should be lithographed - what say you ?” “You had better keep my French papers for the parcels you send, as Croker 1 suspect will be kept pretty busy soon.”

Seven Letters, three 4 to., four 8vo. (one of three sides), 4th, 6th, 17th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, and 30th April, 1828 Glee of “The Watchman.” “Your answer to Mrs. A. was just what it ought to be. I am only sorry that the Songs are not to be for our joint advantage on the cheap terms at which I flattered myself we already had them. You will now be obliged to give more for them than their sale (beautiful as they are with her own singing) will ever repay you. I must say that she would have done more fairly by me (having expressly made me a present of the whole collection) as well as more advantageously by her own fame, if she had left the disposal of them entirely, as she said she would, to me,” &c. “Like all ether people, rich as well as poor, she wants to make the most

* Mrs. Duff- -Mrs. Moore’s eldest sister - appeared as Isabella at Drury Lane on the 3rd of March, 1828, and soon after went with her husband to New York. “Her fright was so excessive on Monday evening, that we cannot pretend to form a decided opinion of her abilities from so imperfect a specimen; and will therefore postpone our remarks to some more favourable opportunity.” - Literary Gazette.

L

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she can,” &c. “I have been a good d^al amused by a letter vou sent me, which comes from a Bookseller in Paternoster-row, offering to negociate with me for the work which I am said to have committed to the flames (vide, the Xie-terary Gazette of last week), and saying that he will bear me harmless through any legal consequences that may ensue !” “I have not been able to do anything towards either selecting or composing the remaining Airs for the Legends. Miss Fitzclarence’s Collection turns out to be mere every-day rubbish.” “You may send through Croker as usual.” “In looking over my boots and shoes to-day I miss an old pair of French boots with the galoshes I used to wear with them, which are a great loss to me,” &c. “Miss Feilding, I find, will not let Newton or any one see the designs till I come to town.” “I shall not be up till the end of May (unless the proceedings of Byron’s Monument should call me up sooner) and should like to know whether that time will do for my financial operations, which must, I fear, be on somewhat a larger scale than usual, to carry me through this year at all comfortably.” “Murray paid last week the ^£3000 to the Longmans with interest upon a week or two over the time he agreed to have paid it in.” Six Letters, 8vo. (one of three sides), 29th April (received 2nd May), 3rd, 4th, 9th, 13th, and 14th May, 182S
” I inclose you a letter (for your own private eve) which I have just got from Miss Feilding, and hope that there will be no difficulty,” &c. iS You shall, however, have some time or other a set of all light and humorous Songs, and I shall, I think, take the Annals of the Fairies as my ground work ! ‘Songs of the Fairies ‘would not be a bad title.” “I have to-day had a note from Newton who will do everything for us we wish.” “She [Mrs. Duff’] must have them by the ninth.” I am anxious to know what further happened between you and Mrs. Arkwright “Refers to “The Legend of Psyche,” “Tis the Vine,” and “Love, Youth, and Age,” as “unfinished.”

14/

“It is possible I may want help from you to bring me up, as my pounds are ’ebbing fast away’ - but I’ll try and keep enough for that purpose.” “Lady Donegal has left 38, Berkeley-square, but you will hear there where she is gone to.”
” You may send my French newspapers, if there are any, through Croker, as they do to read in going up.” “A £5 note would not come amiss, but this you had better send direct by post.”

Two Letters, one 4to., one Svo., 17th and 21th June, 1828

** I forgot, the day I was with you at the Stationers, to order some writing paper, which I am in great want of - pray send me some (a ream will not be too much), and I should like half a pound of sealing wax. The paper to be like this.” “Thinking that you may want ‘The Rose of the Desert’ I send it up by parcel, and shall inclose the Legends as I finish them, through the Right Honourable (! !) Croker. You will have the goodness to frank the letter to Genoa for me, and put the other in the 2d or send it, if you can, as there is an original letter of Byron’s inclosed.”

Six Letters, four 4to., two 8vo., 27th June, 4th, 7th, 15th, 20th and 25th July, 1828 With reference to the Morning Chronicle Newspaper. - “It has become much better now that we are leaving it.” “I wish, if you could think of it, you would bring me two little Fireboxes (price 6d each), from Jones’s, 201, Strand.” “I send you all the words of all the twelve \Leyendary Ballads], and flatter myself that they are something better than ‘Airs of Haut Ton.’ I never saw such a publication as that. Bessy and I laughed together over it for an hour last night, she exclaiming all the time, ’poor Tom Bailey !’ “”In the total dearth of airs to which I am now reduced, I think of putting in execution a plan that has often occurred to me of borrowing subjects from instrumental composers, and manufacturing them in my own way into songs. For this purpose, though I should have,” &c,

l 2

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** I inclose you a scrap of a letter I have had from Mrs. Arkwright’s friend and neighbour, Hodgson. The passage that precedes the scrap is as follows, after mentioning your offer of 25 guineas, he says, ‘of course it was not worth her while to accept such a pittance even if it had been proper to do so. Finding that another publisher had offered 25 guineas for one song (supposed to be Mrs. A.’s but not hers, nor equal to any of her best effusions, I mean < the Captive.’)’ &c. &c. You will be the best judge what you ought to do.” “I want you for Napier to direct the inclosed blank letter to the Editor of the Globe Neivspaper, and have it put in the box at the office as soon as possible.” “Your answer was quite right, and I only trust she will not be exorbitant.” “My money is nearly defunct (of its usual complaint, a galloping consumption), and as I must have about sixty pounds to carry me over the next two months, if it would not be convenient to you to lend me that sum for the time, &c.” “I have sent in my formal resignation to the Times. They are getting so wrong on the Irish Question that I could not consistently continue even my slight connexion with them any longer.”

Six Letters, four 4 to., two 8vo., 1st, 2nd, 13th, 18th, 28th, and 31st August, 1828
” I have been writing such shoals of letters that I have but a minute to dispatch a word to you, to say that the s£30 arrived safe, both portions, and that we are full of thanks to you,”
&c. “I want you (if you can possibly spare time before you come down) to make enquiry for us relative to the ground in the field opposite to us, which I told you we had our eye on as a good site for a cottage, I had nearly given up all thoughts of it, but something (between ourselves) that Lord Lansdowne said yesterday evening, when I mentioned the plan to him has rekindled my zeal on the subject.” “I don’t know whether I before told you that, in refusing the proposal of the Longmans’ with respect td*the History of Ireland, I mentioned to them

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that as the price which was mentioned (a6500), I could get as much from any of the scurvy annuals for a short Tale, curiously enough a week or two afterwards I received actually an offer of 56500 for 100 pages prose or verse, 56250 to be paid down immediately, which, though a most tempting proposal and most creditable to the spirit of the proposers, I shall be able to decline.” Miss Feilding’s designs, - “Mrs. Arkwright’s transaction with you has certainly more of the Spinning Jenny in it than I expected from her; but the object for which she wants the money is, I know, a good and kind one.” “Lady Lansdowne expressed great regret at your not coming that day. The Feildings were there, and the fair artist was very much disappointed.” “To-morrow I am off to the Salisbury Music Meeting, which I fear will be but a dull concern.” “I have been idling this week past at the Salisbury Music Meeting and at Lord Carnarvon’s, where I went with Lord Lansdowne on his way to the Continent.”

One Letter, 4 to. September 2nd, 1828

“Here is the third verse, with the air, as well as I can recollect it, if you are not prepossessed in favour of the title I first put, I should rather have it called ‘Beauty and Song,’ as I see Bay ley has something about the Nightingale and Rose in his Butterfly, and I should like as little as possible to be mixed up with his Butterflies. I don’t know whether I mentioned to you that Lady William Lennox told me she sings ■ the Bashful Lover’ and the Romaika every where in Society, and Lord William (who is become thoroughly professional) added, ‘I think we shall make the best hit of the Bashful Lover next year that has ever been made for a long time.’ Theodore Hook, she says, makes her sing ‘the Bashful Lover’ over and over for ever for him. You know (such is the difference of tastes) that I was always a little ashamed of this Song, and indeed, had I not seen that you were a little pleased with it, I should have left it out of the Collection. [ am now glad I did it not. We have

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ordered some books, which Bessy wished you to give Murray for his boy, and if the Longmans have not sent them, pray dispatch a Messenger for them, and let Bessy have them down immediately.”

Four Letters, one 4 to. (three sides), three 8vo., 3rd, 11th, 19th, and 23rd September, 1828

“”We are off I trust in the morning for Southampton.” “Our lodgings at Southampton are at a Music Shop ! Mr. William Smart’s, 58, High Street.” Sends two verses, with

Musical notation of iC Love o’er all unseen presiding.”

u I returned from Southampton last night.” “I have found my table covered with all sorts of claims on my time and pen.”
” I have been occupied almost ever since I came home in answering the heaps of infernal letters I found on my return.”

Three Letters, two 4to. (one of two sides), one 8vo. (of three sides), 1st, 5th, and 18th October, 1828
” I am deep in arrears to you every way. I ought long since to have returned you your ^660,” &c. “If these appearances of War become serious I shall have occasion to come up to town to arrange something, with Croker’s assistance, about my Bermuda office, and then we shall have a talk upon our Miscellany, &c. &c.” “You will I fear think me extinct and so I have been almost, at times, from anxiety and remorse of idleness.” “All these things coming upon me in my solitude have disabled me from working, and I am behind hand in every thing, except spending money, which goes at Southampton like wild-fire.” “I have this year an income before me (not counting you, which will be all the other way) of sixteen hundred pounds, so please God there is no fear.” “I suppose you heard from Clark the trick the Keepsake gentlemen have played upon me. Having offered me six hundred pounds for my name, on being refused they took it for nothing. I ought

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not to have been so lenient with them as I have been.. The Longmans’ have, I hope, sent you my Squibs/’

Three Letters, two 4to., one 8vo. (four sides), 3rd, 9th, and 14th November, 1828 Miss Feilding’s desigus - expected soon back, “she is now at her uncle, Lord Ilchester’s.” Various commissions. “The note is for Moore, the sculptor - I forgot his direction.” “I do not see why Bishop should claim the arrangement of Sphor’s air, as he had the good taste to leave it exactly as it was, (with the exception of a few notes of symphony), saying it could not be better, which was very true.” “There must be a complete change in all our proceedings, though what, I have not made up my mind to. Something new must be hit upon, or we shall grow ’flat, stale, and unprofitable’ - three devilish bad things.” “I forgot to thank you for the nice fish, which is even a better thing salted than fresh.” “I have been asked to go to Lord Jersey’s on my way up, but I shall reserve my visit, I think, till my return.”

Five Letters, one 4to. four 8vo. (two of two sides), Oth, 13th, 19th, 24th, and 30th December, 1828

“You can have no difficulty, I should think, in telling which is the old hat of the two. It is new lined -must be of a much browner colour than the other, and is a particularly heavy and hard hat, but will be very useful here to save my best one.”
” The grand fish arrived safe, and the Grand Turk would not be received so welcomely. A. merry Christmas to you and yours.” “I send you a beautiful air (and I think not ill supplied with words), which will do for our Greek work.” “The idea I have now adopted for the beginning of our Second Evening is a Masquerade - which will afford (when I can execute it properly), a most beautiful ground work for all sorts of lyrical subjects - but the truth is, I am now so hard driven to get out my Byron within the season,” &c. “I have the more

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reluctance in asking you for so long a pause from work, as I shall be obliged to make use of your name for three months on, to bring me within reach of the supplies I shall then be entitled to from Murray, and to have you so much in advance to me, without any set ofT in work, is a very uncomfortable feeling to me, whatever your good nature may make it to you.”

Five Letters, one # 4to., four 8vo. One dated “Wednesday,” the others undated (1828)
” One will do very well” (to meet Bishop), “I meant to have come to you to-day, but the Duke of Sussex, whom I called upon, took it into his royal head to read me a long pamphlet, which kept me all day, I shall be with you, however, before one to-morrow.” “Many thanks for the fine fish ! I think you need not fear Win. Spencer - but, if you like, I could write to him - though I feel sure you may print the verses.”
”I have had rather bad accounts of my poor mother’s health - but she is, by to-day’s news better,” “pray get me two or three pair of gloves at Gibbon’s, Coventry Street, opposite Haymarket, such as my last.”

Four Letters, two 4 to. (one two sides, the other three sides),

one 8vo., one 12mo.; 2nd, 11th, and two 19th January,

1829

“Many thanks, my dear Sir, for your very friendly assent to my wishes. Be assured that I shall make up for lost time when I again buckle to, &c.” “I think the present order of the Legends will do very well, only putting perhaps e the Voice’ instead of the ‘Stranger/ the former being a more elegant and taking air (at least in my opinion) than the other.” Annual dance at Bowood. Six verses of eight lines each entitled, “the true Gem.”

“Said Love to Friendship ‘Let us away To yonder island shore - Tis fairy ground - it’s soil, they say With gems is sparkling o’er,” &c. Domestic afflictions.

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Six Letters, three 4to., three 8vo., (two of two sides - a portion of the other torn off), 4th, 13th, 15th- 24th, and 26th February, 1829

Wishes for a set of proofs of the music of the LegendaryBallads, rt that I might be able to sing it to my neighbours at Laycock Abbey.” Dedication to the Miss FEildings. “You are a lucky man in the health of your children.” “You must find out where Mr. Joy lives - he is a bookseller or publisher, but too fashionable to put his place of abode.” “It is a hard trial,” {a most painful letter). “We felt the kindness of your letter most thoroughly, and it is not impossible but we may accept your very friendly offer, for which both you and Mrs. Power have our heartiest thanks. Indeed if anything could console one for such a calamity, the sympathy and actual friendship we experience on all sides ought to do so.” “Do not mention to people my coming, as there are but few I wish to see.” “In fac*t it would be folly to deceive ourselves with hope. We must only go through with it and bear it as we can.”

Six Letters, three 4to., three 8vo., 4th (two), 8th, 12th, 25th, and 29th March, 1829

”Many thanks for the fish,” &c. Introduction to the Legendary Ballads. Death of Anastasia Mary, # only daughter of Thomas Moore, Esq. “I write but to thank you for your kind feeling note, and to beg,” &c. el We shall drink your health to-day as well as eat your good fish.” “The name is to be spelt as I have done it here with the E before the I. Lady Elizabeth would never have forgiven such a disparagement of the ancient name as the I being foremost.” “I must again put you to your old trade of house hunting for me. Dr. Starkey and my landlord have come to an arrangement which still admits of my cottage being rebuilt and made comfortable for us, and with a much larger interest in it. We shall therefore turn

* Aged nearly sixteen.

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out for building purposes in a short time, and take some small house or retired lodgings in or near town during the interval I am employed in publishing (about three or four months). After that we mean to pay our long promised visit to my mother, and I shall devote a few weeks to the poetical tour we have sometimes talked of, for a tenth and last Number of our Melodies.” “The Lansdownes have very kindly offered us their villa at Richmond after Whitsuntide, and it is not unlikely we may go to it.”

Four Letters, three 4to., one 8vo., 6th, 12th, 16th, and 17th April, 1829
” I send you a sketch of a melancholy song I have done within this day or two, and which when retouched and improved, will be one of the prettiest things I have for a long time produced.” “My expenses have been lately enormous, and there are still more heavy ones before me, but, with a little help, I shall pull through.” Bowood, (l I have come here to work alone for a week or two previous to my coming to town,”
&c. “I had gone pretty far in a more extended Introduction announcing that this would be the last Collection I should present the Public with (excepting only a tenth Number of Irish Melodies, and a second Evening in Greece), but, on second thoughts, I believe it is as well not to tie myself down so hastily.” “I walked into Devizes yesterday (seven miles).” &c.

Three Letters, one 4to., two 8vo., 1st May, 20th June, 24th July, 1829

“I am ashamed of having given so much trouble about this short advertisement,” &c. Richmond Hill, “I wish, too, if you have time to-day that you would make arrangements with your Solicitor Clark for seeing as soon as he conveniently can our old friend of the three acres, on the subject of the purchase,
- the less time we lose now about it the better, as the building ought to be commenced as soon as possible.”

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Two Letters, one 4to., one 8vo., 8th August, 17th September, 1829 [Mr. Moore’s residence at Richmond and Mr. Power’s absence from London will account for this break in the usual correspondence.^ “I hope you are by this time returned safe home,”
&c. “Here is an alteration in the end of the third verse of that song I gave you, together with the fourth verse.” See [Second Evening in Greece, the song commencing “Who comes so gracefully.’”] Brooks’s, Thursday, “There is again a chance of old Slop.”

Three Letters, two 4to., one 8vo. - and 29th November, 9th December, 1829
” I thought to have taken the inclosed to you myself, but having been the whole day sitting to Sir Thomas Lawrence could not manage it.” Directions about “Abernethy bisctiits and maccaroni at two shillings a pound from Morell’s in Piccadilly.” “I got down very agreeably, and find these apartments made most wonderfully comfortable for my reception - such a metamorphosis (since I saw them filled with washing tubs and flitches of bacon) could not be conceived.”

Four Letters, two 4 to., two 8vo. (one of two sides), 2nd, 14th> 19th, and 27th January, 1830 lt You perceive we have lost our dear friend Lady Donegall,* one of the truest and most unchanging during a space, of seven and twenty years that it has ever been my lot to know. I now begin to feel great alarm about my mother in this most trying weather.” Carpet slippers. “From an article in the Times to-day I take for granted my book will soon be in the hands of everybody. I feel somewhat in a twitter about it; though rather less than on other occasions, from having such a Hercu-

* Barbara, Marchioness (dowager) of Donegall,died, No. 17, Curzon Street, on the 28th December, 1829. She was the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Luke Godfrey, uncle to Sir William Godfrey, Bart., and was the third wife of Arthur the fifth Earl and first Marquis of Dontjgall, who died Jan. 5, 1799.

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lean pair of shoulders as Byron’s to shift part of the responsibility to.” Hood’s Comic Annual. “I have every morning shoals of congratulations and eulogies on the subject of my book, which seems to be doing’wonders.” “Next week I shall be in town.”

Three Letters, one 4to., one 8vo. (two sides), one 12mo., 13th and 16th March, 20th April, 1830
” I was in hopes I should be able to be up in time for the Shamrock day, as I should like to see how my brother Paddies look after being emancipated, but every day here is so precious to me,” &c. “I am coming to London’s hateful den again.”
” I have been so pressed and put out of my way for these months past that I • take no note of time,’ nor of any thing else,” &c. Mentions “Weber’s wild witch like style” of music.

Four Letters, three 4 to., one 8vo., 27th July, 10th, 14th and 25th August, 1830 tl I have been in daily expectation of receiving the things I left for you to dispatch after me.” “We have been now for some days in our new cottage, and find it most dry and comfortable. There cannot be a nicer house for its size.” “We think of sailing the latter end of next week. You will see that the Dublin papers have been rather premature in announcing their ‘distinguished countryman’s arrival.’ “96, Abbey Street,
” We were most lucky in our weather, and I am now glad beyond what I can say that I brought both boys with me - it has made my mother so happy. Already every body remarks how improved she is in looks.”

Four Letters, two 4to. (one two sides), two 8vo. (one two sides)

4th, 5th, 1/th, and 25th October, 1830 “Yesterday evening we arrived all safe and well at Sloperton, our heads almost turned with kead mille fealthods, and my pockets turned inside out with our expenditure. You never saw any thing like the enthusiasm of my reception every where

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in Ireland. They have now set their hearts upon bringing me into Parliament for some county, and had there been a vacancy at this moment I could hardly have escaped the honour. Stevenson I did not see. He was confined with illness during the first weeks of our stay, and though I called two or three times I could never see him. He then set off for Lord Headfort’s, where we were asked to meet him, but in the whirl and multiplicity of our engagements we were unable to compass it. By all accounts the poor fellow is completely past his work. I am told he says of his legs (looking down mournfully at them) ‘Oh, by G - d they are very good legs - -but they won’t walk.’ You must manage to lend me twenty or thirty pounds (the latter if possible) for a few weeks, till I can put matters in train for raising the supplies. I am (to use the slang phrase) completely ‘cleaned out,’ but shall now turn in for a long spell of labour, and have little doubt of being soon quits with you and all other kind creditors. The building and this journey coming together have been a fatal blow to my finances.” “The reason of my not writing to you more than once from Dublin was very simple. It was the same as that given by Joe Maddocks to the Princess of Wales, when she said to him, f For why you not speak, Mr. Maddocks V - ‘Because Ma’am,’ answered Joe, ‘I have nothing to say.’ Not having been able to see Stevenson, I had nothing particular to communicate to you, and being in such a whirl both of mind and body as caused me to neglect but too much one of the most important objects of my visit to Dublin, I thought I knew you well enough to feel quite sure that you would excuse any omission of mere letter writing, &c.” “I send you some more of the Summer Fete, which will still spread out to two or three hundred lines more. All good for your letterpress book. I inclose also Lady Headfort’s letter, which you will return to me some time or other. You had already seen the mention of poor Stevenson’s paralytic attack in the newspapers.” “I have been passing three days with the Duchess of Kent and our little

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future Queen at Earl Stoke Park, and we had a great deal of music. The Duchess sung some of my Melodies with me better than I ever heard them performed. I promised to send her some of the Songs of mine she most liked, and I should he glad if you would get them bound together (not too expensively) for me to present to her. They are as follows. ‘Meeting of Ships - Indian Boat- The Evening Grun - Say what shall be our Sport, (can you detach this from the Nationals?) - Keep your Tears for me- The Watchman - I. love but thee (beginning ‘If after all’)- Reason and Folly and Beauty. She has promised me copies of some very pretty German things she sung.”