Shelley and Byron were friends of Moore’s, though he and Shelley were never really close. The friendship with Byron started unpromisingly with a challenge to a duel (however they took enthusiastically to each other), and ended sadly with successful pressure from Byron’s family to burn his incriminating papers. Hazlitt was a friend, Leigh Hunt another (Byron and Moore visited him in prison), Talbot both friend and neighbour. Mary Shelley helped Moore with his biography of Byron, Stendhal enjoyed his company and admired his singing voice, while his good friend Scott remarked upon his small stature and animated character.