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Moore, Edward

Birth date

1712

Death date

1757

Biography

Edward Moore, the dramatist and man of letters, was the third son of Thomas Moore, a dissenting minister from Abingdon in Berkeshire. He was educated first at his uncle's school in Bridgwater, Somerset and subsequently in East Orchard, Dorset. Before embarking on his literary career, he worked as a factor in Ireland and then established a linen draping business in London. In 1744, he published his first work, a series of morality tales entitled, "Fables for the Female Sex." This was written in collaboration with Henry Brooke (1703-83), who also wrote the prologue to Moore’s first comedy, "The Foundling", produced to critical approval at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1748. His second play, "Gil Blas", was based on the epic novel of the same name by Alain René le Sage (1668-1747). Gil Blas was staged at Drury Lane Theatre in February 1751 and ran for nine nights, a considerable success. Two years later and again at the Theatre Royal, he produced a prose tragedy, "The Gamester". This was his first collaboration with David Garrick who took the lead role and wrote the prologue as well as some of the dialogue. The play was very well received, running for eleven much applauded nights. Moore and Garrick became close friends and subsequently worked together on a number of other pieces. Moore had several patrons, most notably Henry Pelham and George, first Lord Lyttleton of Frankley. Their patronage was reciprocated in verse, including the poem, "The Trial of Selim and the Persian" (1748), which was a panegyric to Lyttleton. Moore also wrote two odes to Pelham; the moving, "Ode on the Death of Henry Pelham" (1754) which is sometimes attributed to Garrick and went through four editions in six weeks, as well as a laudatory ode published in Moore’s, "Poems, Fables and Plays" (London 1756). In 1753, Lyttleton was instrumental in Moore’s appointment as editor of "The World", a weekly satirical periodical. Moore wrote under the pseudonym of Adam FitzAdam and regular contributors included Horace Walpole and Lord Chesterfield. Moore was generously permitted to take the entire profits of the venture which had a weekly circulation of two to three thousand copies and was published for four years until early in 1757. Shortly after the close of "The World", Moore fell ill and died at his house in South Lambeth on 1st March 1757. He is buried in his local Parish Church.
 
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