By the Rev. W. 11. Hitchcock. 



249 



There is no need to dwell on his compulsory residence abroad for 

 nearly three years, in consequence of his liability for a very con- 

 siderable sum of money — a liability caused by no fault of Moore's, 

 but by the defalcation of his deputy in the Island of Bermuda, 

 where Moore held an official position as Registrar to the Admiralty 

 from 1804 onwards. After a tour in Italy, and a lengthy residence 

 in Paris, he was relieved by the generosity of his patrons from the 

 embarrassment, and his Bessy was welcomed by a peal from u those 

 evening bells " of Bromham as a prelude of the poet's home-coming 

 to Sloperton, 



And now his works poured forth in prolific variety. For, with 

 all his gaiety, Moore was never indolent. No one worked harder. 

 Up with the sun he wrote until breakfast, when he shed the bright 

 halo of his wit upon his humble fare. After breakfast at work 

 again, chiefly now as he walked to and fro in the laurel bower of 

 his garden ; for it was in the open air (he used to say) that his 

 mind worked most freely. There it was that the Bromham farmers 

 came to consult him about the weather ; " Plaze, Sur, as you be 

 Muster Moore, the almanac man, will you tell us when it will be 

 fine enough to cut our grass ? " 



Endless political squibs from his pen appeared in the " Times" 

 and " Chronicle" and other leading papers of the day. 



The following lines, written in 1 828, before the Test and Corpo- 

 ration Act, suffice to show that Moore was no friend of a State 

 Church : — 



" See those Cherries, how they cover 

 Yonder sunny garden wall : 

 Had they not some net- work over, 

 Thieving birds would eat them all! 



So, to guard our posts and pensions 



Ancient sages wove a net, 

 Through whose holes of small dimensions 



Only certain knaves can get. 



Shall we then this net-work widen, 



Shall we stretch these sacred holes 

 Through which, e'en already, slide in 



Lots of small dissenting souls? 



