t on arriving there hired a deputy to
discharge the duties of the office and went on a tour to America. Like some
other famous travellers, he conceived a poor opinion of the American
people. In commemoration of his trip, Moore brought out "Epistles, Odes and
other Poems," containing many defamatory verses on America. One scurrilous
stanza read:

The patriot, fresh from Freedom's councils come,
Now pleas'd retires to lash his slaves at home;
Or woo, perhaps, some black Aspasia's charms,
And dream of freedom in his bondmaid's arms.

[Sidenote: "Irish Melodies"]

[Sidenote: "Lalla Rookh"]

In a footnote Moore was careful to explain that this allusion was to the
President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. The poems were roughly
handled by the "Edinburgh Review." This led to a duel between Moore and
Jeffrey--a bloodless encounter, which resulted in a life-long friendship
between the two men. The same affair produced a quarrel and Moore's
subsequent friendship with Byron. Throughout this time Moore brought out
his charming "Irish Melodies," the most popular of all his productions.
Messrs. Longwin, the publishers, agreed to give him L3,000 for a long poem
on an oriental subject. Moore retired to the banks of the Dofe, surrounded
himself with oriental books, and in three years produced "Lalla Rookh." The
success of this work was beyond the expectations of the publishers. After
achieving this triumph, Moore travelled abroad in the company of the
wealthy poet Rogers, and later of Lord John Russell. At Venice he visited
Lord Byron. The affairs of his office in Bermuda next called him there,
after which he resided in Paris, where he wrote his famous "Fables for the
Holy Alliance." Returning to England, he settled at Bow-wood near
Wiltshire, the seat of his life-long friend, Lord Lansdowne. There he spent
his declining years and died in dotage.

[Sidenote: "Dear Harp of My Country"]

Tom Moore, while a very popular poet, produced few poems of lasting
quality. Most characteristic of Moore, perhaps, are his lightest verses,
such as "The Time I Lost in Wooing," the melodious lines "Oft, in the
Stilly Night," or the famous Irish apostrophe:

Dear Harp of my Country! in darkness I found thee,
The cold chain of silence had hung o'er thee long,
When proudly, my own Island Harp, I unbound thee,
And gave all thy chords to light, freedom, and song!

The warm lay of love and the light note of gladness