upon its subject. A collection of pictures and engravings of Hindu deities formed the nucleus of the book. Round these the author accumulated a mass of information, partly gathered by himself, but largely derived from correspondents, and supplemented from the works of Sir William Jones and other orientalists. Though prolix and heavy in style and overweighted with classical parallels and irrelevancies, its intrinsic value carried the book through several editions. A beautiful series of illustrative plates (engraved by J. Dadley after drawings by M. Houghton) was edited by the Rev. A. P. Moore in 1861, London, 4to, and another edition with fresh plates appeared at Madras in 1864. Moor's other works on Indian subjects were 'Hindu Infanticide; an Account of the Measures adopted for suppressing the Practice' (London, 1811, 4to), and 'Oriental Fragments' (1834), comprising descriptions of gems and inscriptions and general reflections upon Hindu mythology and religion. During his retirement at Great Bealings in Suffolk he also wrote 'The Gentle Sponge' (1829, 8vo), a proposal for reducing the interest on the national debt, and a collection of 'Suffolk Words and Phrases' (1823, 12mo), containing many elaborate articles (e.g. cantle and sibrit) of some interest, but little etymological value, besides several pamphlets. He also contributed Indian articles to Rees's 'Cyclopædia.'
Moor died at the house of his son-in-law in Great George Street, Westminster, on 26 Feb. 1848. He married, on 10 July 1794, Elizabeth, daughter of James Lynn of Woodbridge, surgeon. By her (she died on 13 Dec. 1835) he had issue a son, Edward J. Moor, who became rector of Great Bealings, and a daughter, Charlotte, who married William Page Wood, son of Sir Matthew Wood, bart.
Moor was elected a member of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta in 1796, a member of the Royal Society in 1806, and of the Society of Antiquaries in 1818. He was also a member of other learned societies in India, England, and France.
[Gent. Mag. 1848, i. 549, 550; East India Military Calendar, 1823, pp. 339, 349; J. Grant Duff's History of the Mahrattas, 1873, p. 492; Allibone's Dictionary of English Literature; Moor's Works in British Museum Library.]
MOOR, JAMES (1712–1779), professor of Greek, was the son of Robert Moor, a schoolmaster in Glasgow, where he was born on 22 June 1712. In 1825 he entered Glasgow University, and distinguished himself especially in classics and mathematics. After graduating M.A., he was engaged for some time as teacher in a school in his native city, and subsequently travelled abroad as tutor to the Earls of Selkirk and Errol. He was afterwards tutor to William Boyd, fourth earl of Kilmarnock [q. v.], till 1742, when he became librarian of the university of Glasgow. In 1746 he was elected to the chair of Greek there, promotion which he owed to the assistance of Dunbar (Hamilton) Douglas, fourth earl of Selkirk. In 1745 Moor made a journey to London in an endeavour to obtain a pardon for his patron the Earl of Kilmarnock, who had been condemned for his share in the Jacobite rebellion. His efforts were unsuccessful.
At the request of the university, Moor, in conjunction with Muirhead, professor of humanity, superintended the production, in four folio volumes, of a magnificent edition of Homer, published by the Foulises of Glasgow. To insure the utmost accuracy of text every sheet was read six times before it was sent to press, twice by the ordinary corrector, once by Andrew Foulis [q. v.], once by each of the editors separately, and finally by both conjunctly. Copies of this edition (1747) are now very rare. For the Foulis press Moor also edited Herodotus and other classics. In 1761 he was appointed vice-rector of the university, and he received in 1763 the degree of Doctor of Laws. Owing to bad health Moor resigned his chair in 1774, and died in Glasgow on 17 Sept. 1779. During the period of his retirement Moor amused himself by writing Hudibrastic verses and epigrams, of which a number have appeared in 'Notes and Queries.' His valuable library and cabinet of medals were purchased by the university authorities.
Besides editing Homer, Herodotus, Tyrtseus, and other classical authors for the Foulises, Moor wrote several learned treatises, including: 1. 'Essays read to a Literary Society at their Weekly Meetings,' Glasgow, 1759. 2. 'On the End of Tragedy, according to Aristotle,' Glasgow, 1763. 3. 'Addison's Cato, done into Latin Verse, without the Love Scenes,' Glasgow, 1764. 4. 'On the Prepositions of the Greek Language,' Glasgow, 1766 (reprinted at Richmond, 1830). 5. 'A Vindication of Virgil from the Charge of Puerility imputed to him by Dr. Pearce,' Glasgow, 1766. 6. 'Elementa Linguæ Graecæ Pars Prima,' Glasgow, 1766; a favourite school-book in Scotland; it passed through many editions in Latin, and an English version by J. C. Rowlatt appeared in 1836.
[Chambers's Biog. Dict. of Eminent Scotsmen; Catalogue of the Advocates' Library; the Library, i. 93; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. iii. 21, 121, iv. 104, vii. 453; Scots Mag. 1779.]
