The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 12, No. 349, Supplement to Volume 12.Various
General
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 12, No. 349, Supplement to Volume 12.
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
The fate of Addison, with his Countess Dowager, holding out no
encouragement for the ambitious love of Mr. Moore, he wisely and happily
allowed his good taste to regulate his choice in a wife, and some years
ago married Miss Dyke, a lady of great personal attractions, and
accomplished manners, in whose congenial society he passes much of his
time in the retirement of an elegant cottage, in Wiltshire, devoting
himself chiefly to literary pursuits.
In 1808, Mr. Moore sent to the press "Corruption and Intolerance;" two
poems, with notes: addressed to an Englishman, by an Irishman; and in
1809, "The Sceptic," a philosophical satire. These works, of which the
first is pungently satirical, are little known; but they are worthy of
their author. They were succeeded in 1810, by "A Letter to the Roman
Catholics of Dublin." His next production, "Intercepted Letters, or the
Two-penny Post Bag, by Thomas Brown, the younger," 1812, was eagerly
perused, and fourteen editions of it were printed. Its severities on an
elevated personage and the court, will perhaps never be forgotten by the
parties. In sparkling wit, keen sarcasm, and humorous pleasantry, it is
rivalled only by another volume, entitled "The Fudge Family in Paris,"
published in 1818, the hero of which is a distinguished poet, and a
zealous supporter of the present administration. To this class of Mr.
Moore's works belong his "Fables for the Holy Alliance," and "Rhymes on
the Road," which deserve, in some respect, a higher reputation than the
former volumes.
Mr. Moore appears equally to have cultivated a taste for music as well as
for poesy; and the late Dr. Burney was perfectly astonished at his talent
which he emphatically called "peculiarly his own." In 1813, Mr. Moore's
fame was materially increased by the appearance of his exquisite songs to
Sir John Stevenson's selection of Irish Melodies. Some of these songs are
among the finest specimens of poetry in our language, and the morality of
the whole of them is unexceptionable. They have since been collected into
one volume. In 1816, he published "A Series of Sacred Songs, Duets, and
Trios," the music to which was composed and selected by himself and Sir
John Stevenson.
In 1817, came forth his great work, on which he was known to have been
long engaged, and which if it had been his only production, would have
carried his name down to posterity as one of the first bards of his time.
"Thoughts that breathe, and words that burn," would not be an
inapplicable motto for this oriental romance, which unites the purest and
softest tenderness with the loftiest dignity, and glows in every page
with all the fervour of poetry. For the copyright of this poem he is said
to have received the sum of 3,000 guineas, and it must have proved a
source of immense profit to the publishers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account