x PREFACE

Certainly to me, and, I think, to most men, autobiography is far more interesting than biography. A man in writing the record of his life, in almost every sentence unconsciously paints himself whether he wishes to do so or not. Though, therefore, materials of all kinds are in my hands, more complete and ample than can often be at the disposal of a biographer, I have preferred to make the substance of this Life of Moore consist of the Journal which he kept up from day to day throughout all his campaigns, from the time when the great war with France began to within three weeks of his death. The original Journal has been lost. The copy from which these pages are printed was, after I began to inquire for materials for the Life of Moore, found by the late Lord Aberdare among the papers of Sir William Napier, and sent to me by him. He had found it as profoundly interesting as I have done, and as, I think, all who read it will do. The copy was made by Lady Napier, the lady to whom at one time Moore had thought of making a proposal (p. in, vol. ii. post).

It is, so far as I am aware, and as far as I have been able to ascertain from those who are better acquainted than I am with the vast field of the world's literature, unique in its continuity and completeness, not merely in military literature. I do not think that any other great man of action has kept up from day to day a record such as this for any period approaching that which is represented by our occupation of Corsica in 1794, our capture of St. Lucia in the West Indies, Moore's very stormy governorship of that island, the Irish Rebellion of 1798, our two campaigns on the Helder in Holland in 1799, the Cadiz expedition, the conquest of Egypt by Sir Ralph Abercromby in 1801,