Eric Mackay

George Eric Mackay was born in London on January 25, 1851, the son of writer and journalist Charles Mackay. He spent time in Europe, tried to build a career in music and journalism, and eventually returned to London, where he published several volumes of poetry.

His best-known book was Love Letters of a Violinist (1886), which sold strongly and helped make his name in the 1880s. Other works included A Lover's Litanies, Nero and Actæa, and Pygmalion in Cyprus, showing his taste for romantic and theatrical subjects.

Mackay died in London on June 2, 1898. Although he is now a relatively obscure figure, his work still offers a glimpse of the emotional, decorative style that appealed to many readers in the late nineteenth century.