WMR reviews T. Moore's Prose, Verse Satire, Shelley

Book Review.

Rossetti, William M. "Prose and Verse, Humorous, Satirical, and Sentimental, by Thomas Moore; with Suppressed Passages from the Memoirs of Lord Byron".Academy (June 22, 1878): 550. Web. 21 September 2011.

Rossetti reviews the book, stating at the outset that most ordinary Brits would not be interested in the book's subject matter and content and furthermore, the author couldn't possibly stake his reputation on such material, much of which should be "advisedly consigned to oblivion." The book, he says, would only be interesting to those who have a preconceived interest in satire.

Rossetti criticizes the lack of supporting passages despite the book's title, plus other technical problems, but nonetheless agrees that from a historical or archival standpoint, the book is worthwhile.

Rossetti finds Moore's interpretations to be inaccurately biased based on Rossetti's own firsthand knowledge of Edward John Trelawny and Byron, plus his secondary knowledge of Shelley, rendering questionable the value of Moore's observations regarding Byron and Shelley.

"It is a volume of scraps and leavings, productions on which the writer could not possibly have staked his reputation-the great majority of which, indeed, he would to all appearance have advisedly consigned to oblivion;" "One can hardly imagine a more stupid apology, or a confession of demerit at once more complete and coxcombically unconscious."