Inspirational Quotes by Samuel Lover (Irish Writer, Artist, Songwriter)

Samuel Lover (1797–1868,) also known as “Ben Trovato” (“Well Invented,”) was an Anglo-Irish songwriter, composer, novelist, and painter of portraits. Known primarily for his miniature paintings, Lover was also a talented musician and writer who took a keen interest in Irish folklore.

Born in Dublin, Lover established himself there in 1818 as a marine painter and miniaturist. One of the founders of the Dublin University Magazine, he published tales and anecdotes from the Irish peasantry in Legends and Stories of Ireland (1831) together with his illustrations.

In 1835, Lover moved to London, where he wrote two well-liked novels inspired by Irish folklore, Rory O’More (1836) and Handy Andy (1842.) The latter is often seen as one of the sources of the “stage Irishman,” a popular theatrical stereotype.

Lover helped Charles Dickens found the English literary magazine Bentley’s Miscellany. In 1844, Lover combined his short Irish sketches with his songs to create an entertainment called ‘Irish Nights’ or ‘Irish Evenings.’ With songs like ‘The Low Backed Car’ and ‘Molly Bawn,’ his entertainment became hugely popular in England and America 1846–48, and added to the rise of Irish national consciousness.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Samuel Lover