Golden Legend_. Having now a sufficient and secure
income from his writings, he resigned his professorship, and devoted
himself entirely to literature. _Hiawatha_ appeared in 1855, and _The
Courtship of Miles Standish_ in 1858. In 1861 he lost his wife under
tragic circumstances, a blow which told heavily upon him. His latest
works were a translation of Dante's _Divina Commedia_, _Tales of a
Wayside Inn_, _The New England Tragedies_, and _The Divine Tragedy_, the
last two of which he combined with _The Golden Legend_ into a trilogy,
which he named _Christus_. In 1868 he paid a last visit to England, where
he was received with the highest honour. Later works were _Three Books of
Song_, _Aftermath_, and _Ultima Thule_. He _d._ on March 14, 1882. L.
lacked the intensity of feeling and power of imagination to make him a
great poet; but few poets have appealed to a wider circle of readers. If
he never soars to the heights or sounds the deeps of feeling he touches
the heart by appealing to universal and deep-seated affections. He was a
man of noble and chivalrous character.

_Lives_ by S. Longfellow in Riverside ed. of works (11 vols. 1886-90),
Robertson (Great Writers Series), and Higginson (American Men of
Letters).

LOVELACE, RICHARD (1618-1658).--Poet, _b._ at Woolwich, _s._ of Sir
William L., was _ed._ at Oxf., where he is described by Anthony Wood as
"the most amiable and beautiful person that eye ever beheld." He was an
enthusiastic Royalist, and spent his whole fortune in support of that
cause. For presenting "the Kentish petition" in favour of the King, he
was imprisoned in 1642, when he wrote his famous song, _When Love with
unconfined wings_. After his release he served in the French army, and
was wounded at Dunkirk. Returning, he was again imprisoned, 1648, and
produced his _Lucasta: Epodes, Odes_, etc. He lives in literature by a
few of his lyrics which, though often careless, are graceful and tender.
He _d._ in poverty.

LOVER, SAMUEL (1797-1868).--Song-writer and novelist, was a painter of
portraits, chiefly miniatures. He 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 some
novels, of which _Rory O'More_ (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_. H