Samuel Lover

Samuel Lover

born on 24/2/1797 in Dublin, Ireland

died on 6/7/1868

Samuel Lover

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Samuel Lover (24 February 1797 Dublin 6 July 1868) was an Anglo-Irish[1] songwriter, novelist, and a painter of portraits, chiefly miniatures. He was the grandfather of Victor Herbert.

Early life

Lover was born at number 60 Grafton Street, Dublin and went to school at Samuel Whyte's at 79 Grafton Street, now home to Bewley's cafe. By 1830 he was secretary of the Royal Hibernian Academy and lived at number 9 D'Olier Street. He eventually moved to London and made his main residence there.

Career

Lover produced a number of Irish songs, of which several including The Angel's Whisper, Molly Bawn, and The Four-leaved Shamrock attained great popularity. He also wrote novels, of which Rory O'Moore (in its first form a ballad), and Handy Andy are the best known, and short Irish sketches which, with his songs, he combined into a popular entertainment called Irish Nights. He joined with Charles Dickens in founding Bentley's Magazine.

When once the itch of literature comes over a man, nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen. Samuel Lover

Personal life

Lover's grandson was composer Victor Herbert whose mother was Lover's daughter Fanny. Irish born and German raised, Herbert is best known for his many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway. As a child he stayed with the Lovers in a musical environment following the death of his father.

Death and legacy

Lover died on 6 July 1868. A memorial in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin summarises his achievements

Poet, painter, novelist and composer, who, in the exercise of a genius as distinguished in its versatility as in its power, by his pen and pencil illustrated so happily the characteristics of the peasantry of his country that his name will ever be honourably identified with Ireland.

This article incorporates public domain text from: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London, J.M. Dent & sons; New York, E.P. Dutton.

External links

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This page was last modified 15.03.2014 23:45:39

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