“ He rapidly became a social success in London. Joseph Atkinson, secretary in Ireland to the ordnance board, had been attracted to Moore in Dublin at first by his gifts as a singer. He now gave him an introduction to Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 2nd earl of Moira, who invited him to his country seat at Donington Park, Leicestershire. Here Moore became a frequent guest. He had brought with him from Ireland a translation of the Odes of Anacreon, and the prince of Wales consented to have the volume dedicated to him. ”

“ His first butt was the prince regent, once his friend and patron, whose foibles, fatness, love for cutlets and curaçoa, for aged mistresses and practical jokes, were ridiculed with the lightest of clever hands. ”

“ Moore had begun Lalla Rookh two years before. He was a careful and laborious writer, and retired to a cottage in the neighbourhood of Donington Park, where with the help of Lord Moira’s library he read himself slowly into familiarity with Eastern scenery and manners. He was already far advanced in his work when Byron in The Giaour and again in The Bride of Abydos largely forestalled him. The depression following on the peace of 1815 deferred the publication of Lalla Rookh until 1817. ”