MOORE, THOMAS (1779-1852), Irish poet, was born in Dublin on May 28, 1779. His father was John Moore, a prosper ous grocer and wine merchant, and his mother's maiden name was Anastasia Codd. In 1793 Tom Moore's name first appeared in print, as a contributor of some verses "To Zelia," to a Dublin periodical, the Anthologia Hibernica. In the same year Roman Catholic students began to be admitted to Trinity college, Dub lin, and in 1794 Moore's name was entered on the books, curiously enough, as a Protestant. At Trinity he made friends with Robert Emmet, and was nearly dragged into the plots of the United Irishmen. The events of 1798 and the execution of Emmet in 1803 made a deep impression on him. The words of Emmet's address to his judges, asking the charity of silence—"Let no man write my epitaph"—are enshrined by Moore in one of his lyrics, "Oh, breathe not his name !" (Irish Melodies, 18o8.) The next song in the same collection—"When he who adores thee"—also owes its inspiration to Emmet's fate, and the conscientious orientalism of Lalla Rookh does not conceal the pre-occupation of the writer with the United Irishmen when he writes of "The Fire Worshippers," and with Emmet and Sarah Curran when he describes the loves of Hafed and Hinda, especially in the well known song, "She is far from the Land where her young Hero sleeps." In 1798 Moore graduated, and in the next year left for England to keep his terms at the Middle Temple.
He was a social success in London. He had brought with him from Ireland a translation of the Odes of Anacreon, and the prince of Wales accepted its dedication. It was issued in 1800 with notes and a list of distinguished subscribers. Moore's social successes involved him in expenses far beyond his means. His publisher had advanced him money, and he resolved to pay his debt by the anonymous publication of his juvenile poems, The Poetical Works of the Late Thomas Little, Esq. (i8oi), a col lection of love poems which Moore afterwards regretted. Through Lord Moira's influence he was, in 1803, appointed registrar of the admiralty prize-court at Bermuda. But he soon tired of the monotonous life, and in 1804, after appointing a deputy, returned to England by way of the United States and Canada. In i8o6
he published Epistles, Odes and other Poems, chiefly dealing with his impressions of travel. The volume contained the "Canadian Boat Song" ("Faintly as tolls the evening chime"), and some love poems of the same kind as those connected with the name of "Mr. Little." The success of the satirical epistles in the i8o6 volume en couraged Moore to produce further work of a similar kind, Corruption and Intolerance, Two Poems (1808), and The Sceptic: a Philosophical Satire (1809), but the heroic couplet and the manner of Pope did not suit his talents. At the end of 18o6 he went to Dublin, and, with the exception of about six months in 1807 spent at Donington Park, the next three years were spent in Ireland. Here he met Miss Elizabeth Dyke, an actress, who became his wife in March 1811. They lived at first in London, but soon removed into the country, to Kegworth, near Lord Moira's seat, and then to Mayfield Cottage, near Ash bourne, Derbyshire. Moore had to spend much of his time in London, for the popularity of his songs led to an agreement with his publisher to increase the success of these by singing them himself at great houses. The inception of his Irish Melodies dates from 1807, and many of the best were written during the three years of his Irish visit. He had already published separate songs, some of them set to music of his own, when William Power suggested to him in 1807 the task of fitting words to a series of Irish airs supplied by Sir John Stevenson. He could not have found a task more exactly suited to his powers, and for a quarter of a century he enjoyed a regular income of £500 a year from Power for writing words to music. The first number of the Irish Melodies appeared in 18°8, and contained some of his best and most popular work. The rest appeared between 18o8 and 1834. In 1816 Stevenson and Moore published Sacred Songs, followed by a second number in 1824. The first number of National Airs (Melodies from other Nations) appeared in 1818, and was followed by others in 182o, 1822, 1826 and 1827.