kindred subjects. Among his auditors were Faraday and Sir Francis Ronalds [q. v.] He died, unmarried, of consumption, induced by overwork, on 28 June 1817, at his mother's house. He published ‘Elements of Electricity and Electro-chemistry,’ London, 1814, 8vo, a work of considerable importance, which was translated into French (Paris, 1817), into Italian (Milan, 1819), and into German (Breslau, 1819). He also contributed several papers to the ‘Philosophical Magazine’ from 1813 to 1815, of which a list is given in Ronalds's ‘Catalogue of Books on Electricity, Magnetism,’ &c.
[Private information; Gent. Mag. 1817, i. 641.]
SINGER, JOHN (fl. 1594–1602), actor and dramatist, was with Queen Elizabeth's company and the admiral's (Lord Charles Howard, earl of Nottingham) at the Rose Theatre from 1594 to 1602. He played the part of Assinego the clown in ‘Tamar Cham’ on 2 Oct. 1602, and received from Philip Henslowe [q. v.] on 13 Jan. 1602 the sum of 5l. for his ‘playe called Syngers Vollentarye.’ He is said by Collier to have been ‘a great popular favourite, and the leader of a company of comedians, not at the Globe or Blackfriars, but at some theatre where[at] he was well known and greatly applauded’ (Engl. Dram. Pœt. iii. 209, ed. 1879). Collier credits him with the authorship of a collection of his merry sallies and improvisations given to the world under the title of ‘Quips upon Questions, or a Clownes Conceite on Occasion offered, bewraying a morallised Metamorphosis of Changes upon Interrogatories, shewing a little Wit, with a great deale of Will; or, indeed, more desirous to please in it, then to profit by it. Clapt up by a Clowne of the Towne in this last Restraint, having little else to doe to make a little use of his fickle Muse, and careless of Carping. By Clunnyco de Curtaneo Snuffe.
Like as you list, read on and spare not,
Clownes judge like clownes, therefore I care not.
Or thus:
Floute me, I'l floute thee; it is my profession
To jest at a jester, in his transgression.
Imprinted at London for W. Ferbrand, and are to be sold at the sign of the Crowne over against the Mayden head near Yeldhall, 1600,’ 4to, 24 leaves (Hazlitt, Handbook). The ascription of this work to Singer, probable enough from internal evidence, rests upon the unsupported authority of Collier. The book, which is sad rather than comic, and consists of a series of moral platitudes conveying the idea that the writer was a thoughtful, serious, and kindly man, is of excessive rarity. A copy of it having come into the hands of Mr. F. Ouvry, a very limited reprint, now only less unattainable than the original volume, was issued (London, 1875, 4to).
[All that is known of Singer is contained in half a dozen extracts from Henslowe's Diary. These have been used by Collier himself in his English Dramatic Poetry, and reservedly by Mr. Fleay in his History of the Stage. Reasons for doubting Collier, strong enough in themselves, are fortified by what is said in Notes and Queries, 8th ser. x. 235, 321, 357. Hazlitt's Bibliography and Halliwell's Dictionary of Old Plays.]
SINGER, JOSEPH HENDERSON (1786–1866), bishop of Meath, born at Annadale in co. Dublin in October 1786, was the youngest son of James Singer, deputy commissary-general in Ireland, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of James Henderson. Joseph was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he obtained the mathematical and Hebrew prizes. He graduated B.A. as gold medallist in 1806, became a fellow in 1810, and proceeded M.A. in 1811, and B.D. and D.D. in 1825. In 1850, after many years' work at Trinity College as fellow and tutor, he was appointed regius professor of divinity on the death of Charles Richard Elrington [q. v.] In the same year he became rector of Raymoghy in the diocese of Raphoe, and in 1851 he was promoted to the archdeaconry of Raphoe.
Singer distinguished himself as a leading member of the evangelical party in the Irish church. He was an able preacher, being for many years chaplain of the Magdalen Asylum, and his views exercised great influence over the students for the ministry who came under his charge. He was also a strong opponent of the national board of education, and his attitude hindered his preferment. On the death of Thomas Stewart Townsend, however, in September 1852, he was appointed by Lord Derby to the premier bishopric of Meath, and was sworn of the Irish privy council. Singer continued to occupy the see until his death on 16 July 1866. He was buried on 21 July at Mount Jerome cemetery near Dublin.
Singer married, in 1822, Mary, eldest daughter of the Rev. Henry Crofton, D.D., senior chaplain at Kilmainham, and niece of Sir Hugh Crofton of Mohill in Leitrim, by whom he had three sons and three daughters.
Singer was a constant contributor to the ‘Christian Examiner,’ and he published several sermons.
