SAMUEL

See also:

• SAMUEL LOVER (1797-1868)

LOVER (1797-1868)  , Irish novelist, artist, song-writer and musician, was born in Dublin on the 24th of February 1797 . His father was a stockbroker . Lover began life as an artist, and was elected in 1828 a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy—a body of which two years afterwards he became secretary . He acquired repute as a miniature painter, and a number of the local aristocracy sat to him for their portraits . His love for music showed itself at an early age . At a dinner given to the poet Tom Moore in 1818 Lover sang one of his own songs, which elicited special praise from Moore . One of his best-known portraits was that of Paganini, which was exhibited at the Royal Academy . He attracted attention as an author by his Legends and Stories of Ireland (1832), and was one of the first writers for the Dublin University Magazine . He went to London about 1835, where, among others, he painted Lord Brougham in his robes as lord chancellor . His gifts rendered him popular in society; and he appeared often at Lady Blessington's evening receptions . There he sang several of his songs, which were so well received that he published them (Songs and Ballads, 1839) . Some of them illustrated Irish superstitions, among these being " Rory O'More," " The Angel's Whisper," " The May Dew " and " The Four-leaved Shamrock." In 1837 appeared Rory O'More, a National Romance, which at once made him a reputation as a novelist; he afterwards dramatized it for the Adelphi Theatre, London .

In 1842 was published his best-known

work, Handy Andy, an Irish Tale . Meanwhile his pursuits had affected his health; and in 1844 he gave up writing for some time, substituting instead public entertainments, called by him " Irish Evenings," illustrative of his own works . These were successful both in Great Britain and in America . In addition to publishing numerous songs of his own, Lover edited a collection entitled The Lyrics of Ireland, which appeared in 1858 . He died on the 6th of July 1868 . Besides the novels already mentioned he wrote Treasure Trove (1844), and Metrical Tales and Other Poems (186o) . His Life was written in 1874 by Bayle Bernard .