Croly, George

(1780-1860)

   Irish clergyman, ordained in 1804, and a distinguished classical scholar, he was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. After several appointments, around 1810, accompanied by his widowed mother and his sisters, he settled in London. In 1835 he became rector of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, London (built by Christopher Wren, 1672 to 1687, after the Great Fire of 1666, and situated close to the Bank of England). He was dramatic critic to the New Times and a regular contributor to the Literary Gazette and Blackwood's Magazine. He became principal lead writer to the Britannia newspaper. In addition to his poems he wrote several hymns. Some of his principal publications: Paris, 1815 (inspired by Byron's Childe Harold). The Angel of the World, 1817. Catiline, 1822 (tragedy). May Fair, 1827 (satire). Salathiel, 1829 (romance). Marston, (novel), 1846. The Modern Orlando, 1846 (poem). Scenes from Scripture and Other Poems, 1851. Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship, 1854. Some of his poems and hymns: "A Supplication," "Be Still, Be Still, Impatient Soul," "Behold Me, Lord, and If Thou Find," "Death and Resurrection," "Domestic Love," "Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Gates of Light."

   Sources: Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition, 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. English Poetry: Author Search. Chadwyck-Healey Ltd., 1995 (http://www.lib.utexas.edu:8080/search/epoetry/author.html). England's Thousand Best Churches. S. Jenkins. Allen Lane, 1999. The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The National Portrait Gallery (www.npg.org.uk). The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 6th edition. Margaret Drabble, ed. Oxford University Press, 2000. The World's Great Religious Poetry. Caroline Miles Hill, ed. Macmillan, 1954.