John Francis Waller

The Spinning Wheel. Courtesy Amazon.co.uk.

John Francis Waller (1810 - 19 January 1894) was an Irish poet and editor remembered for his song, "The Spinning Wheel."

Life

Overview

Waller, born at Limerick, and educated at Trinity College, Dublin, became a contributor to and ultimately editor of the Dublin University Magazine, usually writing under the pseudonym of "Jonathan Freke Slingsby." His works include Ravenscroft Hall (1852), The Dead Bridal (1856), and Peter Brown (1872).

Youth and education

Waller was born in Limerick, the 3rd son of Thomas Maunsell Waller of Finnoe House, co. Tipperary, by his wife Margaret, daughter of John Vereker.

He entered Trinity College, Dublin, in 1827, and earned a B.A. in 1831. He was called to the Irish bar in 1833, and while studying in the chambers of Joseph Chitty, he commenced his contributions to periodical literature.

Career

On returning to Ireland he went on the Leinster circuit, but almost immediately joined the staff of the Dublin University Magazine, a periodical which had been founded a few months earlier. To this magazine Waller was a prolific contributor of both prose and verse for upwards of 40 years, and he succeeded Charles James Lever as its editor. His most notable articles in it were the "Slingsby Papers," under the pseudonym of "Jonathan Freke Slingsby," which appeared in book form in 1852, a series of humorous reflections somewhat after the manner of Wilson's "Noctes Ambrosianæ." Although he possessed a graceful fancy, Waller had not Wilson's intellectual powers.

He married, in 1835, Anna, daughter of William Hopkins. By him she had 2 sons and 6 daughters.

Waller wrote the "Imperial Ode" for the Cork Exhibition, 1852, and an ode on the "Erection of the Campanile of Trinity College," which, with other pieces of the same sort, were published in 1864 as Occasional Odes.

He was also the editor of the Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography, London, 1857–63, 3 volumes (also issued in 16 parts); new edition 1877–84, 3 volumes; and of editions of Goldsmith's Works’ (1864–5), of Moore's ‘Irish Melodies’ (1867), and of ‘Gulliver's Travels’ (1864), with memoirs of the authors prefixed.

He was for many years honorary secretary of the Royal Dublin Society. He became in 1864 a vice-president of the Royal Irish Academy, and was also the founder, in 1872, and vice-president of the Goldsmith Club. In 1867 he became registrar of the rolls court.

On his retirement he moved to London, where his later years were spent in literary work for Cassell & Co.

He died at Bishop's Stortford on 19 Jan. 1894.

Writing

He best deserves remembrance as a writer of verse, and especially as the author of songs, many of which, set to music by Stewart and other composers, attained a wide vogue. Some were translated into German. The best known are perhaps "The Voices of the Dead," "Cushla ma Chree," and "The Song of the Glass." Of the last-named, Richard Monckton Milnes (first Baron Houghton) said that it was 1 of the best drinking songs of the age.

The following is a list of Waller's published works not already mentioned: 1. ‘Ravenscroft Hall and other Poems,’ 1852. 2. ‘The Dead Bridal,’ 1856. 3. ‘Occasional Odes,’ 1864. 4. ‘Revelations of Pete Browne,’ 1872. 5. ‘Festival Tales,’ 1873. 6. ‘Pictures from English Literature,’ 1870.

Recognition

In 1852 he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Dublin University in recognition of his literary achievements.

Publications

Poetry

• Ravenscroft Hall, and other poems. 1852.
• Inauguration Ode: For the opening of the National exhibition of arts, manufactures, and materials, at Cork, on the 10th of June, 1852. Cork: Bradford, 1852.
• Occasional Odes. Dublin: Hodges, Smith, 1864.
• Ode: On the installation of the Right Hon. the Earl of Rosse, K.P., as Chancellor of the University of Dublin, February XVII. MDCCCLXIII. Dublin: M.H. Gill, at Dublin University Press, 1873.

Play

• The Eve of St. John: A masque for music. Dublin: [1849?]

Novels

• The Dead Bridal: A Venetian tale of the fourteenth century. London: Ward, Lock, 1856.
• Revelations of Peter Brown, Poet and Peripatetic: Found in his black box. London: Cassell, Petter, & Galpin / Dublin : McGlashan & Gill, 1870.
• The Adventures of a Protestant in Search of Religion. London: R. Washbourne, 1873; New York: D. & J. Sadlier, 1874.

Non-fiction

• The Slingsby Papers: A selection from the writings of Jonathan Freke Slingsby . Dublin: J. McGlashan / Wm. S. Orr / Amen Corner, London, 1852.
• Pictures from English Literature. London & New York: Cassell, Petter, Galpin, 1880.
• Boswell and Johnson: Their companions and contemporaries. London & New York: Cassell, Petter, Galpin, 1881; London: Bloomsbury, 2013.

Edited

• Gulliver's Travels (1864 - editor)
• Oliver Goldsmith, Works. London: Cassell, Petter, Galpin, 1871-1872.
• Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography: A series of original memoirs of distinguished men, of all ages and all nations. London: William Mackenzie, 1857, 1863, 1878.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.

See also

249 The Spinning Wheel Song by John Francis Waller Clarica Poetry Moment POEM

• List of Irish poets
• List of English-language songwriters

References

•  Falkiner, Caesar Litton (1899) "Waller, John Francis" in Lee, Sidney Dictionary of National Biography 59 London: Smith, Elder, pp. 129-130 . Wikisource, Web, Mar. 8, 2017.

External links

Poems

• Waller in A Victorian Anthology, 1837-1895: "Kitty Neil," "A Spinning-Wheel Song"

About

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen). London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Waller, John Francis