Irish poet Thomas Moore's translation of Anacreon (1800) and his Poems (1801) brought him great success and together with his considerable musical talent as a singer, procured him admission to the best society, being as popular as his friend Byron in his lifetime. In 1817, Longmans paid him 3000 guineas for Lalla Rookh but he was involved in an embezzlement scandal in 1819 which forced him to flee to Italy and Paris. He returned in 1822 and spent his last 30 years in Wiltshire, writing lives of Sheridan and Byron amongst other works.