Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 50.djvu/253

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

which he did not take part. He was a member of a committee appointed by the admiralty in 1884 to inquire into the condition under which contracts are invited for the building and repairing of H.M. ships and their engines and with the practical working of the dockyards (Parliamentary Papers, 1884–5, C. 4219).

On 6 May 1862 he became a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and frequently spoke at their meetings. To the minutes of the ‘Proceedings’ he contributed a paper ‘On the form and materials for iron-plated ships’ (xxii. 5, 130).

He was a member of the metropolitan board of works from 1860 until 1865, in which year he entered parliament in the liberal interest for Tavistock. He sat for that constituency down to 1868, when he was returned for the Tower Hamlets, which he continued to represent until 1880. He failed to secure re-election owing to his support of Lord Beaconsfield's foreign policy. He spoke frequently in the house, more particularly on naval subjects. He was captain in the 2nd Tower Hamlets rifle volunteers 6 April 1860, major 10 Nov. 1863 to 4 Dec. 1867, and lieutenant-colonel of the 1st Tower Hamlets rifle volunteers 4 Dec. 1867 to June 1869. He died at 7 Gloucester Square, Hyde Park, London, on 27 April 1885, and was buried on 2 May in Kensal Green cemetery. He married, in 1837, Louisa, daughter of Samuel Ballin of Holloway, Middlesex, by whom he had five children.

Samuda wrote ‘A Treatise on the Adaptation of Atmospheric Pressure to the Purposes of Locomotion on Railways,’ 1841; and with S. Clegg, ‘Clegg and Samuda's Atmospheric Railway,’ 1840.

[Minutes of Proceedings of Instit. of Civil Engineers, 1885, lxxxi. 334–7; Times, 29 April 1885, p. 5; Iron, 1 May 1885, p. 384; East End News, 1 May 1885 p. 3, 5 May p. 3; Vanity Fair, 15 Feb. 1873, p. 55, with portrait.]

G. C. B.


SAMUEL, EDWARD (1674–1748), Welsh divine, son of Edward Samuel, was born in 1674 at Cwt y Defaid in the parish of Penmorfa, Carnarvonshire. His parents were poor, and he owed his education to the interest of Bishop Humphreys of Bangor, who was a native of the district. On 19 May 1693 he matriculated as a ‘pauper puer’ at Oriel College, Oxford. Taking orders, he became on 4 Nov. 1702 rector of Betws Gwerfyl Goch, Merionethshire, a position he exchanged on 12 Jan. 1721 for the rectory of Llangar in the same county. In 1732 the rectory of Llanddulas, Denbighshire, was also conferred upon him. He died on 8 April 1748, and was buried at Llangar. Two sons, Edward (1710–1762) and William (1713–1765), became clergymen. The latter was father of David Samwell [q. v.]

Samuel was a facile writer, both in Welsh verse and prose. His elegy to Huw Morris or Morus [q. v.] is printed in ‘Eos Ceiriog’ (i. 103–9); and ‘Blodeugerdd Cymru’ (1759) contains four carols and a lyrical piece written by him at various times from 1720 to 1744, all of which are marked by attachment to the church and the house of Hanover. Some of his Welsh poems are in Brit. Mus. MSS. Addit. 14961. He is, however, best known as a translator of religious books. He published in prose, besides sermons (1731 and 1766): 1. ‘Bucheddau'r Apostolion’ (‘Lives of the Apostles’), an original compilation, Shrewsbury, 1704. 2. ‘Gwirionedd y Grefydd Gristionogol,’ a translation of ‘De Veritate Religionis Christianæ,’ by Grotius, Shrewsbury, 1716; 2nd edit., London, n.d.; 3rd, Carmarthen, 1854. 3. ‘Holl Ddyledswydd Dyn’ (‘Whole Duty of Man’), with an appendix of prayers, Shrewsbury, 1718. 4. ‘Prif Ddledswyddau Christion,’ a translation of Beveridge's ‘Chief Duties of a Christian,’ first part in 1722, second in 1723, Shrewsbury; 2nd edit. of both, Chester, 1793. 5. ‘Athrawiaeth yr Eglwys,’ a translation of Nourse's ‘Devout Treatises,’ with Wake's ‘Family Prayers’ as a second part, Shrewsbury, 1731.

[Preface to Carmarthen edition of Gwirionedd y Grefydd Gristionogol; Alumni Oxonienses; Thomas's Hist. of the Diocese of St. Asaph; Rowlands's Cambrian Bibliography.]

J. E. L.


SAMUEL, GEORGE (d. 1823?), landscape-painter, practised both in oils and watercolours, and was one of the most esteemed topographical draughtsmen of his day. He exhibited annually at the Royal Academy from 1786 to 1823, and also largely at the British Institution, his works being pleasing transcripts of the scenery of Cornwall, Westmoreland, and other picturesque parts of England. In 1789 Samuel painted a view of the Thames from Rotherhithe during the great frost, which attracted much attention; his view of Holland House was engraved in Angus's ‘Select Views of Seats,’ that of Windsor Castle in Pyne's ‘Royal Residences,’ and many others in the ‘Copperplate Magazine’ (1792) and Walker's ‘Itinerant’ (1799). He also made in 1799 the designs for the illustrations to ‘Grove Hill,’ a poem describing the seat of Dr. Lettsom by Thomas Maurice [q. v.] Samuel was a member of Girtin's sketching society in 1799, and one of the earliest workers in lithography. His death, which occurred in