Appendix: A Bibliography of Poems Written by Sailors, Those Who Served at Sea, or Ascribed to Sailors

The list below originates from the larger resource, compiled by John Goodridge and other contributors, dedicated to providing comprehensive information about laboring-class poets from the seventeenth to the late nineteenth centuries. Goodridge's compendium identifies any other trade or form of work conducted by each author and focuses primarily on published volumes of poetry. Similarly, the list below focuses on authors who produced published volumes. In both cases, access to poets who published broadsides or poems appearing in magazines or newspapers would expand the bibliography substantially. Many authors included below, who began their careers as common sailors like Falconer and who found their way into print, have been selected from Goodridge's work. Since the navy and the merchant marine offered opportunities for advancement and provided careers for middle- and upper-class men, the works listed below include those created by officers, as well as ship's doctors and ship's chaplains. Some poets draw from their experience of the sea and its environment extensively, much like Falconer. For others, however, their topics focus on philosophical, religious, or other conventional lyric subjects, with little demonstration that their nautical occupation influenced their poetry. I have also included two women poets, whose volumes address their husbands’ occupations. As one would anticipate, the quality of the work runs the gamut from unpolished and often crude rhymes, to elegant, well-wrought verse.Because the sailor was a discernable—and often-parodied—type, with his distinct appearance, attire, and vocabulary, there are a myriad of satirical and bawdy works that purport to be “by a sailor.” Occasionally, too, such poetry served as a vehicle for political parody, as is the case with the 1743 poem The Wind in the East, which satirizes Robert Walpole. The nature of these works makes it difficult to determine if the author had any experience at sea or chose simply to impersonate someone who did; I have included works when the title or topics covered indicate a focus on nautical experiences or themes. I also include works where the author self-identifies as having served at sea, even if the poetry bears no indication of such service, as is the case with the 1732 collection, The Beauties of the Universe. Although it is claimed to be written by “A Gentleman of the Navy,” the volume has more debts to Pope than to naval experience. Finally, there are a host of refined poets, with no experience at sea, who took the lives and experiences of sailors for their topic. These writers range from the much-maligned laureate, Henry James Pye, author of Naucratia; Or Naval Dominion (1798), to laboring-class poets such as John Clare, who wrote poems in praise of the great admirals of his day. These works are not included here.In a few cases, a work went through more than one edition; except for The Shipwreck, I have listed only the first (or the first discoverable). The bibliography begins with the documentary voice of John Baltharpe from the 1670s, and extends to 1870, when the age of sail is coming to an end. Preparing the bibliography to accompany my essay has been challenging because I suspect it could continue to grow. Thanks to digitized resources such as ECCO or Google Books, as well as open access to digitized library holdings at the British Library and elsewhere, I continued to make fortuitous discoveries even as I was finalizing what I had already. Thus, what follows cannot claim to be comprehensive. It is, instead, a place to begin to appreciate the broader context of Falconer's achievements and influence.Baltharpe, John. The Straights Voyage, or St David's, Poem. London: Printed for E. C. by T. Vere.Lacy, B. Miscellaneous Poems Compos'd at Newfoundland, On Board His Majesty's Ship The Kinsale. By B. Lacy, A.M., then Chaplain to said ship. London: Printed for the Author.[Robert Gambol?], The Beauties of the Universe, a Poem. By a Gentleman of the Navy. London: Printed and Sold by J. Roberts.Anon. The Sailor: or, a Sketch of the Seaman's Art in Working a Ship: In a Dialogue between a Captain and his two Mates. [In verse.] To which is added, A Description of Ships: Supposed to be Spoken by an Indian who had never seen Ships before: In imitation of Dryden. London: Printed for J. Roberts.A Gentleman in the Navy. The Beeriad: or, Progress of Drink. An Heroic Poem, in Two Cantos. The first being an imitation of the first Book of Mr. Pope's Dunciad; The Second a Description of a Ram Feast, held annually in a particular small District of Hampshire. By a Gentleman in the Navy. To which is annex'd a figurative moral Tale upon Liberty, in Verse; And a Metaphorical Description of a certain Man of War in Prose: With a proper Preface to the whole: And Explanatory Notes to the Beeriad. Gosport: Printed by J. Philpot.A Gentleman. He has kep't his word. A poem. To perpetuate the memory of that glorious action of the brave Admiral Vernon, who with six ships only, took Porto Bello. Written by a gentleman on board that fleet. London: C. Brown.Sacherevell, John. The tempest: a poem. Written at sea. London: Printed for R. Willett.A Sailor. The Wind in the East: or, Pri'thee Friend Keep Back. An Ominous Warning. A Humorous Ballad. By a Sailor on Board the S —— Fleet. London: Printed for W. Webb.An Honest Sailor. A Duel and no Duel; or, the Skirmish of the West-India Heroes. A Burlesque Account of the Cause, Rise and Progress of the Quarrel between Sir C —— r and Governor T —— ey, and the Assault on His Excellency, in his own House, in Spanish Town, on the 22d of July last. With the Letters that past; the Remarkable Trial; and other Incidents of the Extraordinary Adventure that happen'd to our Homeward-bound Knight Errants. By an honest sailor. London: Printed for G. Foster.Captain Manly. A Summer Voyage to the Gulph of Venice, in the Southwell frigate, Captain Manly, Junr. Commander. An irregular ode. The First Poetical Present ever made by the author to the Right Honourable the E —— of C —— d. London: Printed for L. Loyd, well-known for obliging the public with the freshest and most Authentic Ship News, and sold by A. More, near St. Paul's, and at Pamphlet Shops in London and Westminster.[Falconer, William.] A poem, sacred to the memory of his Royal Highness Frederic Prince of Wales. By W. F. Edinburgh [n.p.].Miller, John. Poems on Several Occasions. To which are added, Dramatic Epistles from the Principle Characters in some of our most approved English Tragedies. London: R. Dodsley.Barker, Robert, Carpenter on board the Thetis. The Unfortunate Shipwright, or Cruel Captain. n.p. [Prose version of the narrative published in 1758.]Nevill, Valentine. The reduction of Louisbourg. A poem wrote on board His Majesty's Ship Orford, in Louisbourg Harbour, by Valentine Nevill, Esquire, of Greenwich in Kent, Secretary to the Honourable Admiral Townsend. Portsmouth: Printed for J. Wilkinson; and Sold by T. Osborne in Gray's Inn; and W. Owen, near Temple-Bar, London.A Sailor. Bite upon the miser: Or, Trick upon the Parson. By a Sailor. To which is added, an address to Britons. Printed and sold at the printing office in Stone-Cutter-Street, Fleet Market.Falconer, William.The ShipwreckA 1764Axford, Jacob. Poems on various Subjects, Divine, Moral and Entertaining: The Posthumous Works of Mr. Jacob Axford, of the City of Bath, Late Surgeon of his Majesty's Ship, Scipio; Written for his own Amusement. Bath: Printed by S. Martin.Falconer, William. The ShipwreckBR. Richardson. The Dolphin's Journal epitomiz'd, in a Poetical Essay. London: Printed for the Author.Falconer, William. The Shipwreck CMennell, G. (Lieutenant to his Majesty's Ship Namur). Religion: a poem. Portsmouth: Printed for the Author and Sold by R. Carr, Corner of the Grand Parade.English, Robert. The naval review. A poem. Inscribed to the Right Honourable Sir Charles Saunders, knight of the bath, and admiral of the White Squadron of His Majesty's Fleet. By the Rev. Robert English, Late Chaplain to His Majesty's Ship the Royal George; and to the Twenty-Fourth Regiment of Foot. London: Printed for T. Becket.A Sailor. Love elegies, by a sailor, written in the year MDCCLXXIV. London: printed for G. Wilkie.Phillip Freneau. The British Prison Ship: A Poem in Four Cantos. Philadelphia, F. Bailey.Edward Rushton. The Dismember'd Empire. A Poem. Liverpool: W. Nevett for J. Johnson, London: and J. Gore, Liverpool.Thompson, Edward (Capt). Nauticks; or, sailor's verses. In two volumes. n.p.Ann Thomas. Poems on various subjects, by Mrs. Ann Thomas of Millbork, Cornwall, an Officer's Widow of the Royal Navy. Printed and sold by M. Haydon and Son, Pike-Street; sold also by B. Law, Ave-Mary-Lane, London; R. Goadby, Sherborne; R. Trewman, Exeter; and by the author, at Millbrook.Thompson, Edward (Capt). Bello Montè or, the misfortunes of Anna D'Arfet. A nautic poem. Written at the Island of Madeira, in 1784, by Captain Edward Thompson, commander of his Britannic Majesty's ships on the coast of Africa. n.p.Fletcher, Charles. The cockpit: a poem. By Charles Fletcher, M.D. Author of a Maritime State.—Considered as to the Health of Seamen. With serious Proposals for rendering the Situation of British Seamen more comfortable, &c. &c. &c.—A Work not only calculated for the Benefit of Naval Equipments, but Embarkations in general, and to all Climates. London: J. Stevenson, Martlet-Court, Bow-Street. For J. Murray, Fleet-Street; W. Richardson, Royal-Exchange; and T. and J. Egerton, opposite the Admiralty.Rushton, Edward. West-Indian Eclogues. London: W. Lowndes and J. Philips.James Field Stanfield. The Guinea Voyage. A Poem in three books. London: Printed and sold by James Phillips, George-Yard, Lombard-Street.Rushton, Edward. The Neglected Tar: A Celebrated Song, adapted and sung by Mr. Dignum at the Anacreontic Society and at the Theatre Royal Liverpool; the Words by a Gentleman of that Town. London: S. A. & P. Thompson.Anderson, Edward. The Sailor: A Poem: Description of his going to sea, And through various Scenes of life, Being Shipwreck'd: Taken Prisone: And afterwards safely returning to his Family, who had not heard of him for several Years: with Observations on the Town of Liverpool. Newcastle: Printed for and sold by the author. M. Angus and Son, Printers.J. Osborne. Scripture and reason, a poem: containing various arguments in refutation of Mr Paine's pamphlet entitled The age of reason. By J. Osborne, a blind seaman of South-Shields. Newcastle: Printed by S. Hodgson, for the author; sold by the booksellers in Newcastle; G. Baron, mathematician, South-Shields; W. Kelley, North-Shields; and Messrs Robinsons, Paternoster-Row, London.A British Sailor. Poems written by a British sailor, when confined in the prison of Quimper, in France. To which are added, two sonnets. Glasgow: Brash & Reid.Tresham, Henry. The sea-sick minstrel; or, maritime sorrows. A poem, in six cantos. London: Richard White.Rushton, Edward. Mary Le More. Liverpool: Printed by W. Armstrong.A Gentleman. The battle of the Nile: a descriptive poem. Addressed as a tributary wreath to nautic bravery. By a gentleman of Earl St. Vincent's fleet. London: Printed for J. Debrett, opposite Burlington House, Piccadilly.Rushton, Edward. Written for the Anniversary of the Liverpool Marine Society. Liverpool: E. Rushton.——— . Blue Eyed Mary. Liverpool: J. McCreery.——— . Lucy's Ghost. A Marine Ballad. Liverpool: J. McCreery.Trotter, Thomas. Suspiria Oceani: a monody on the death of Richard Earl Howe, K. G., Admiral of the Fleet, and General of his Majesty's Marine Forces. London: Knight and Compton.Rushton, Edward. Will Clewline. Liverpool: E. RushtonMorris, Thomas Linwell. The Daneid: An Epic Poem, written on board his Majesty's ship La Desiree. By Thos. A Morris, Pilot. Newcastle: E. Walker.George Woodley. Mount-Edgcumbe, A Descriptive Poem; The Shipwreck, a Naval Eclogue; and Miscellaneous Verses on Several Occasions. Dock: Printed by E. Hoxland.Coates, James. Description of Burlington Key and Neighborhood. Gainsborough: Printed for the Author by H. Mozley.Christian Milne (Wife of a Journeyman Ship-Carpenter, in Footdee, Aberdeen). Simple Poems on Simple Subjects. Aberdeen [n.p.]Davis, John. The Life Boat. A Poem. By a member of the Humane Society. Boston.Rushton, Edward. Poems, By Edward Rushton. London: J. M'Creery for T. Odell.[Straycock, James]. The Son of Commerce, an Original Poem, in Thirty-four Cantos, Written by a Sailor. To Which is Added His Grand Ode on the Death and Funeral of the Late Lord Nelson. London: Printed and Sold by Moore & Son.Craw, William. Naval Poetical Journal in Twelve Letters. Kilmarnock: Printed by H. & S. Crawford, for the Author.A Naval Officer. The Cruise: A Poetical Sketch in Eight Cantos. London: J. Hatchard.Coates, James. A Pathetic Elegy on the Death of W. Brown and C. Choddick, who Suffered on the Tempestuous Night of Oct 30th, 1807, while Engaged in the Herring-fishery. Printed by T. Wilson and R. Spence.A Seaman. Love and War: In Three Cantos. With Other Poems. London: Printed by C. Stower.George Woodley. Britain's Bulwarks; or, The British Seaman: a Poem. Plymouth Dock: Printed and Sold by L. C. Congon.An Officer of the Royal Navy. The Nun: an amatory poem. With various desultory poems. By an Officer of the Royal Navy. London: W. Lewis.Marsden, Joshua. Leisure Hours Or, Poems, Moral, Religious, & Descriptive. New York: Published for the Author, Paul & Thomas, PrintersCoates, James. Bridlington-Quay, a Descriptive Poem. Scarborough: Printed for the Author.Houghton, W. The grin of a moment; or, A piece of old hat. A poem. Interspersed with a few philosophical observations; and dedicated to the officers and seamen of the Royal Navy. Plymouth-Dock: printed and sold by Granville and Son.Whitchurch, Samuel. David Dreadnought, the Reformed English Sailor; or Nautic Tales or Adventures in verse. Bath: Williams.Lark, C. Paddy Hew: A Poem From the Brain of Timothy Tarpaulin. Whistled by a Sea Lark (C. Lark). London: Printed for Whittingham and Arliss.[Anon.]. Nautic Hours. London: William Stockdale.Frier, John. A Poem, with remarks on the late disturbance in Shields occasioned by the ship-owners refusing to man their ships properly, and endeavouring to lower the seamen's wages after the commencement of peace. Newcastle: Printed for the Author.A Young Naval Officer. The Bride of Estermaine, a Poem, in three cantos. By a young Naval Officer. Hull: Privately Printed.Burton, Alfred [John Mitford]. The Adventures of Johnny Newcome in the Navy. A poem in four cantos: with plates by Rowlandson, from the author's designs. London: W. Simpkin and R. Marshall.Mitford, John. Poems of a British Sailor. London: Printed for the Author by J. Flint.Robertson, Alexandar (3rd officer of H.C.S. Baring). Poems on various occasions. Calcutta: Printed at the Mirror Press by P. Crichton.A Sailor. Loyal and patriotic letters, with nautic and other effusions. By a sailor. London: Printed for Robert Stodart.Service, James. The Wandering Knight of Dunstanborough Castle, A Northumbrian Legend. Alnwick: Printed for the Author by William Davison.John Davis. The American Mariners; or, the Atlantic Voyage. A moral poem. Prefixed is a Vindication of the American character, from the opinions of the Quarterly Reviewers. To which are added naval annals, etc. Salisbury: Brodie and Dowding.Rushton, Edward. Poems and other Writings by the late Edward Rushton; to which is added, A Sketch of the Life of the Author, by the Rev. William Shepherd. London: Effingham Wilson.Gascoigne, Henry Barnet. Gascoigne's Path the Naval Fame. The Second Edition, With an Index of Naval Terms and Phrases. Warwick: Printed for the Author by E. Foden.David Vedder. The Covenanter's Communion and Other Poems. Edinburgh: Printed for William Blackwood.A Sailor. The Nautilus, in Five Cantos. Being the Narrative of a Voyage Out and Home, From Liverpool to Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, in the Years 1825 and 1826. Printed for the Author.Trotter, Thomas. Sea Weeds; Poems written on various occasions, chiefly during a naval life. London: Longman and Co.Paul Heidiger. The Didoniad, a semi-Virgilian nautic epic, in nine cantos. Edited by Paul Heidiger. Edinburgh: Henry Constable.Vedder, David. Orcadian Sketches; Legendary and Lyrical Pieces. Edinburgh: William TaitVarnham, E. G. The Dew Drop: A collection of poems. London: Baylis and Leighton.McLaughlin, Edward. The Lovers of the Deep: in four cantos: to which is added a variety of miscellaneous poems. Cincinnati: Edward Lucas.David Vedder. Poems, Legendary, Lyrical and Descriptive. Edinburgh: The Edinburgh Printing and Publishing Co.Kearney, W. J. Leisure Hours at Sea and Ashore, containing “the Log,” “the Vision” etc. Cork: W. Scraggs.Anon. The Hurricane: a poem, descriptive of the unparalleled perseverance and constancy of the seamen on board H.M. Ship Theseus, 74 guns, commanded by Captain (now Rear-Admiral-E. Hawke, the flag-ship of the late Rear-Admiral Dacres, during three days’ and nights’ hurricane, which, in company with the Hercule, she encountered North-East of Monte Christi, in the Island of St. Domingo. By an Eye-Witness . . . Also, Historical notices of St. Domingo . . . With illustrations. Bath: Printed for the Author.Malone, Robert L. The Sailor's Dream and Other Poems. Glasgow: David Robertson.Robert The of Leisure or, of By A Sailor. London: R. A. Sailor. The Life Poems, etc. etc. by London: Poems and John. Poems by John In the Royal And Since A in and Neighborhood. T. The and Other Poems. London: and John. The of the and Other Poems. Richard William The of the and the at on a poem. Scarborough: J. The and Other Poems. London: and William John. The A Poem to Falconer's and F.

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