Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 54.djvu/365

 was indifferent alike to unpopularity or the reverse, his influence on the English history of the first twenty years of the century was greater even than it would seem to be on the surface. He was always calm and unruffled, punctual in his work, accumulating no arrears. He was neither guilty of nepotism in his appointments nor of corruption, though the expenses of his position exceeded his official salary and appointments, and trenched on a private income never very large. He was religious and charitable, a patron of letters, and one of the founders of the Dublin Gaelic Society; but his knowledge outside his public work was, owing to his exceedingly busy life, very scanty.

His portrait was painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, and is engraved in the edition of his correspondence published in 1848, and there is also a half-length in the National Portrait Gallery.



STEWART, ROBERT PRESCOTT (1825–1894), musician, born at Dublin on 16 Dec. 1825, was son of Charles Stewart, librarian of the King's Inn, Dublin. He was musically educated in the school attached to Christ Church Cathedral, of which church he became organist in 1844. He was also appointed in the same year organist to Trinity College, and in 1852 to St. Patrick's Cathedral, where he also was a vicar-choral. In 1846 Stewart became conductor of the Dublin University Choral Society, which presented him with his robes and a jewelled bâton when he graduated doctor of music in 1851. Ten years later he was created professor of music in Dublin University. In 1872 he declined an invitation to represent Ireland at the peace festival at Boston, U.S.A. In the same year he became professor of theory at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and was knighted by Earl Spencer. In 1873 he was appointed conductor of the Dublin Philharmonic. He died at Dublin on 24 March 1894. He married, first, in 1846, Mary Anne, daughter of Peter Browne of Rahurs, Castlebar. She died on 7 Aug. 1887. Stewart married, secondly, on 9 Aug. 1888, Marie, daughter of Joseph Wheeler of Westlands, Queenstown.

Stewart was a remarkable organist and extemporiser, while his memory is said to have been phenomenal. His compositions, many of which gained prizes, are numerous, the most popular being his glees and church music. In 1870 an ode by Stewart was given at the Birmingham festival. The list of his published works includes a number of cantatas, songs, and organ music. Stewart delivered many series of lectures, including one on bagpipes, on which he was an acknowledged authority. To him belongs the credit of requiring candidates at Dublin for musical degrees to pass a literary test, an example followed some years later at Oxford and Cambridge. He was editor of the Irish ‘Church Hymnal’ (1876).

A portrait, painted by Sir T. A. Jones, belongs to the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and a statue was erected on Leinster Lawn, Dublin.

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STEWART, WALTER (d.1177),steward of Malcolm IV. [See under, king of Scotland.]

STEWART, WALTER, (d. 1437), was the second son of King  [q. v.], by his second wife, Euphemia Ross. [q. v.],, first duke of Albany [q. v.], and, earl of Buchan [q. v.], were his half-brothers. Another son of King Robert II, named Walter, by his first wife, was still alive in July 1362, so that possibly the second Walter was born subsequently to this; but in any case as early as 19 Oct. 1378 he married Margaret, only daughter and heiress of Sir David de Barclay, lord of Brechin, with whom he obtained the estate and also the title of lord of Brechin (Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. pp. 146, 147, quoted in Preface to the Exchequer Rolls, vol. iv. p. clx). On 15 Nov. 1391 he had a safe-conduct to go to England with