Frederick George Edwards

“ His first wife having died childless, Wade subsequently formed some irregular matrimonial connection, and at his death a subscription was raised for his presumed widow and her two destitute children. Wade's character may be best summarised in the words of the Rev. John Richardson (Recollections, 1855, i. 231) : ‘A wise man in theory and a fool in practice. A vigorous intellect; planning everything, performing nothing. Always in difficulties, having the means at hand to extricate himself from their annoyance, yet too apathetic to arouse himself to an effort ”

“ An oratorio by him, ‘The Prophecy,’ from Pope's ‘Messiah,’ was produced at Covent Garden Theatre on 24 March 1824; his opera, ‘The Two Houses of Granada,’ of which he wrote both words and music, was first performed at Drury Lane on 31 Oct. 1826, with Braham as Don Carlos. In the same year (1826) he composed and published his most successful song, of which he also wrote the words, ‘Meet me by moonlight alone,’ which had extraordinary popularity. ”

“ On his return to Dublin he is said to have acquired considerable skill as an anatomist and surgeon in the Irish capital. Surgery was, however, soon abandoned, and Wade became a poet-musician. Sir John Andrew Stevenson [q. v.] , recognising his great gift of melody, advised Wade to apply for the university chair of music, dormant since 1774 after the resignation of Lord Mornington, but the matter fell through. Wade migrated to London, where he became conductor of the opera during Monck Mason's régime. ”