If this be wisdom, then farewell my books, -GH! Here break we off, at this unhallow'd name, Thoughts that could patience hold-'twere wiser far To leave still hid and burning where they are! NAPOLEON AFTER WATERLOO. Yes-'twas a cause, as noble and as great A Nation's right to speak a Nation's voice, M Denounced against the land, that spurn'd his chain, Myriads of fierce invading swords, to track And coolly plan how Freedom's boughs should shoot, Yet, in that hour, were France my native land, To snatch my country from that damning doom, GERALD GRIFFIN'S VISIT TO MOORE. In the latter part of the year 1832 an address was adopted by some of the most influential of the electors of Limerick, calling on Moore to come forward as a candidate for the representation of that city. The address was numerously and respectably signed. Gerald Griffin was requested to be the bearer of the communication to Moore. The poet declined the honour, on the ground that his numerous literary engagements prevented him from expecting to attend to parliamentary duties. Griffin relates the particulars of this visit to Moore in a graphic letter written a short time afterwards. After stating that he and his brother slept at Devizes, (near which town Sloperton Cottage, Moore's residence, was situated), Griffin thus con tinues: "In the morning we hired the grand cabriolet and set off to Sloperton; drizzling rain, but a delightful country; such a gentle shower as that through which we looked at Innisfallen-a farewell look. And we drove away till we came to a cottage, a cottage of gentility, with two gateways and pretty grounds about it, and we alighted and knocked at the hall door, and there was dead silence and we whispered one another; and my nerves thrilled as the wind rustled in the creeping shrubs that graced the retreat of Moore. OL! there's no use talking, but I must be fine. I wonder I ever stood it at all, and I an Irishman too, and singing his songs since I was the height of my knee-The Veiled Prophet;'Azim;' 'She is far from the Land;'Those evening Bells.' But the door opened, and a young woman appeared, Is Mr. Moore at home?' 'I'll see, sir. What name shall I say, sir?' Well, not to be too particular, we were shown up stairs, where we found the nightingale in his cage; in honester language, and more to the purpose, we found our hero in his study, a table before him covered with books and papers. a drawer half open and stuffed with letters, a piano, also open at a little distance; and the thief himself, a little man, but full of spirit, with eyes, hands, feet, and frame, for ever in motion, looking as if it would be a feat for him to sit for three minutes quiet in his chair. I am no great observer of proportions; but he seemed to me to be a neat made little fellow, tidily buttoned up, young as fifteen at heart, though with hair that reminded me of the 'Alps in the sunset;' not handsome, perhaps, but something in the whole cut of him that pleased me: finished as an actor, but without an actor's affectation; easy as a gentleman, but without some gentlemen's formality; in a word as people say when they find their brains begin to run aground at the fag end of a magnificent period, we found him a hospitable, warmhearted Irishman, as pleasant as could be himself, and disposed to make others so. And is this enough? and need I tell you that the day was spent delightfully, chiefly in listening to his innumerable jests, and admirable stories and beautiful similes-beautiful and original as those he throws into his songs and anecdotes, that would make the Danes laugh; and how we did all we could, I believe, to get him to stand for Limerick; and how we called again the day after, and walked with him about his little garden; and how he told us that he always wrote walking, and how we came in again and took luncheon, and how I was near forgetting that it was Friday (which you know I am rather apt to do in pleasant company), and how he walked with us through the fields, and wished us "good bye," and left us to do as well as we could without him." The Of this interesting meeting between Moore and Griffin we have the following additional particulars in the Life of Griffin by his brother. sketch presents many pleasing traits of the domestic life of the poet. The letter referred to near the end of the following extract is that from which we have above presented some passages: "It was early in the month of November when we arrived at Sloperton Cottage, Mr. Moore's residence. We had the good fortune to find him at home, and were immediately shown up stairs, where we were received with such warm cordiality, such earnest and unaffected kindness, such a truly Irish welcome, as it would be impossible to forget. The ɔbject of our visit being explained, he immediately entered upon it; said he feared he should be obliged to decline, but would not give a positive answer until next day; requested us to remain to dinner, a proposition to which we gladly assented, and begging to be excused for returning to some matters of importance, which our entrance had interrupted, left us for an hour or so to our musings. "Mr. Moore has been often spoken of, as one whose wit and liveliness in conversation shed a lustre on any society he enters; but he must be seen in his own house, and among his own immediate friends, to have the charm of his manner thoroughly felt and appreciated. The only person we met at dinner besides Mr. and Mrs. Moore, was a Mr. who seemed very intimate with the family, and who we afterwards understood was gay and sprightly beyond all previous custom. Mr. Moore was fond of anecdote, and full of it; espe |