Marryat

Marryat, Frederick, Captain (1792-1848), sailor and novelist, was the second son of Joseph Marryat, M.P., agent for Grenada, He several times ran away from school in order to go to sea, and at the age of fourteen was allowed to enter the navy. He was for more than two years a midshipman in Lord Cochrane's ship, the Imperiense, which cruised in the Mediterranean during the French war. He greatly distinguished himself in action, and soon after the peace attained the rank of commander. He was afterwards employed in the Burmese War of 1824-25, and had in 1819 been elected F.R.S. His first novel, Frank Mildmay, was written on board ship; but a year later, in 1830, he relinquished active service and settled at Hammersmith. From 1832 to 1836 he edited the Metropolitan Magazine, in which appeared Peter Simple, Japhet in Search of a Father, Jacob Faithful, and others of his novels. The best of these were Mr.

Midshipman Easy (1834) and Snarley Yow: or the Dog Fiend (1837). After the publication of the latter he was in America for two years, the result of his visit being The Phantom Ship and Diary in America. In 1847 the news of the loss of his eldest son on the Avenyer hastened his death, which occurred the following year.