own. WILLIAM FALCONER. 1732-1769. WILLIAM FALCONER is the first poet | his native city, in 1751, he there issued that Edinburgh claims as a child of her a poem on the "Death of Frederick She has been the nurse and the Prince of Wales," but it shared the fate admired of many, before and after his of most effusions of that kind; and time, but he, so far as is known to us, had its author not produced something is her first poetic son; and so little did better, the fact of its existence would she regard the fact, that, for long after have passed into oblivion along with his disappearance among the mysteries itself. In 1762, the Shipwreck made of the ocean, it was unknown to his its appearance, with a dedication to the biographers where he first drew breath. Duke of York. He is also the first of Scottish, if not of British, poets, who was a sailor by profession. His father, a poor barber, had other two children, who were deaf and dumb. William, who was born on the 11th February 1732, seems to have got a fair education, but went to sea when quite a boy in a Leith merchant-ship. At the age of eighteen, he rose to be second mate in the Britannia, a vessel which traded to the Levant; and whose loss, off Cape Collona, is the subject of his Shipwreck he and other two being the only survivors of the crew. But the Shipwreck was not his first published venture. While residing in Its success seems to have pleased his royal highness, for he procured the author a midshipman's appointment on board the Royal George. Falconer was soon afterwards promoted to be purser on the Glory, a frigate of 32 guns, which, on the conclusion of peace in 1763, was laid up at Sheerness. Here he married Miss Hicks, daughter of the surgeon to the dockyard. A greatly enlarged edition of the Shipwreck appeared in 1764, besides a weak political satire on Pitt, Wilkes, and Churchill. He now also compiled his "Universal Marine Dictionary," a useful practical work. In 1768, he was offered a partnership by his fellow-townsman, John Murray, originally an officer of marines, but then commencing his publishing career in London. The reason of his declining Murray's offer is not known; but that it did not abate their friendship appears from the fact that some verses addressed to Murray, intended for the third edition of the Shipwreck, were omitted in the hurry of his departure for India. In October 1769 he sailed for India, as purser in the Aurora. The frigate reached the Cape of Good Hope in December, but was not afterwards heard of, and is supposed to have foundered, or taken fire, in the Mosambique Channel. A third edition of the Shipwreck, with considerable addi- | tions and alterations, was published the day previous to that on which he embarked on his last voyage. It is considered not to have been at all an improvement on the second; and the fact has been accounted for by supposing David Mallet to be responsible for the changes, in utter oversight of the fact that Mallet died in 1765. There is nothing specially Scottish about the Shipwreck, either in treatment or subject, and it forms a part of Standard English Literature. That Falconer wrote nothing to indicate his nationality is easily accounted for by his early departure from his native shores; and his satire on Wilkes and Churchill, if it did nothing else, shows that he did not forget the land of his the principle of collating the author's three editions, and selecting the most poetical variations. When done with taste, this is a legitimate enough process of producing a standard text, especially of a young author like Falconer, who had not written much, and whose profession did not admit of his cultivating literature largely as an art. It is not admissible, however, to travel beyond the author. Byron, himself one of our greatest poetical lovers of the ocean, and well acquaint with the scene of the Shipwreck, has recorded his admiration of the poem, where the author has adhered to the subject of his own observations. It is very likely that his description of the dying dolphin, in Childe Harold, has been suggested by that of his predecessor. THE SHIPWRECK. THE POET'S APOLOGY. Alas! neglected by the sacred Nine, Their suppliant feels no genial ray divine! Ah! will they leave Pieria's happy shore, To plough the tide where wintry tempests roar? Or shall a youth approach their hallow'd fane, Stranger to Phoebus and the tuneful train ! Far from the Muse's academic grove, 'Twas his the vast and tractless deep to rove. Alternate change of climates has he known, And felt the fierce extremes of either zone, Where polar skiescongeal th' eternal snow, "A ship-boy on the high and giddy mast," From regions where Peruvian billows roar, Stoops her proud neck beneath tyrannic To where the Isthmus, lav'd by adverse tides, Atlantic and Pacific seas divides. But while he measur'd o'er the painful race, The softer sense with inharmonious sound, RETROSPECT OF THE VOYAGE. A ship from Egypt, o'er the deep impell'd By guiding winds, her course for Venice held; Of fam'd Britannia were the gallant crew, And from that isle her name the vessel drew. The wayward steps of Fortune, that delude Full oft to ruin, eager they pursu'd, In regions where the Almighty's chasten- And, dazzled by her visionary glare, With livid pestilence afflicts the land; Parent of want and misery severe ! Or where, all dreadful in the embattled line, Till o'er her crew distress and death pre- Where'er he wander'd, thus vindictive Fate Winter'd the morn of life's advancing day; Thus while forgotten or unknown he woos, Nor sculptur'd brass to tell the poet's name. Advanc'd, incautious of each fatal snare; shun, Yet Hope, with flattering voice, betray'd them on. Beguil'd to danger thus, they left behind The scene of peace, and social joy resign'd. Long absent they from friends and native The cheerless ocean were inur'd to roam; success: Still, to atone for toils and hazards past, Thrice had the sun, to rule th' varying year, Across th' equator roll'd his flaming sphere, She o'er the spacious flood, from shore to Unwearying wafted her commercial store. And visited the margin of the Nile. The circling voyage hastens to its goal, near. While o'er the lawn, with dance and festive song, Young Pleasure led the jocund hours along. What Albion is, fair Candia then appear'd. A thousand tender thoughts their souls The free-born spirit of her sons is broke; employ, That fondly dance to scenes of future joy. Already British coasts appear to rise, The chalky cliffs salute their longing eyes; Each to his breast, where floods of rapture roll, Embracing, strains the mistress of his soul; Nor less o'erjoyed, with sympathetic truth, Each faithful maid expects th' approach ing youth: In distant souls congenial passions glow, And mutual feelings mutual bliss be stow Such shadowy happiness their thoughts employ, Illusion all, and visionary joy! They bow to Ottoman's imperious yoke ! No longer fame their drooping heart in spires, For stern oppression quench'd its genial fires, But still her fields, with golden harvest crown'd, Supply the barren shores of Greece around. What sharp distress afflicts those wretched isles ! There hope ne'er dawns, and pleasure never smiles ; The vassal wretch obsequious drags his chain, And hears his famish'd babes lament in vain. Thus time elaps'd, while o'er the pathless These eyes have seen the dull reluctant Their ship thro' Grecian seas the pilots A seventh year scorn the weary labourer's guide. Occasion call'd to touch at Candia's shore, Which, blest with favouring winds, they soon explore; The haven enter, borne before the gale, Dispatch their commerce, and prepare to sail. CANDIA, ITS PAST AND PRESENT STATE. Eternal powers! what ruins from afar Mark the fell track of desolating war! Here art and commerce, with auspicious reign, toil. No blooming Venus, on the desert shore, Nor views, with triumph, captive gods adore. No lovely Helens now, with fatal charms, Call forth th' avenging chiefs of Greece to arms; No fair Penelopes enchant the eye, For whom contending kings are proud to die. Here sullen beauty sheds a twilight ray, While sorrow bids her vernal bloom decay. Those charms, so long renown'd in classic strains, Once breath'd sweet influence on the Had dimly shone on Albion's happier CHARACTER OF THE MASTER, ALBERT. O'er the gay vessel, and her daring band, Experienc'd Albert held the chief command; Tho' train'd in boisterous elements, his mind Was yet by soft humanity refin'd. Each joy of wedded love at home he knew, Aboard confest the father of his crew! Brave, liberal, just, the calm domestic scene Had o'er his temper breathed a gay serene. That leads to every shore and every zone. He saw the moon thro' heaven's blue concave glide, And into motion charm th' expanding tide; While earth impetuous round her axle rolls, Exalts her wat❜ry zone, and sinks the poles. Light and attraction, from her genial source, He saw still wandering with diminish'd force; While on the margin of declining day, Night's shadowy cone reluctant melts away. Inur'd to peril, with unconquer'd soul, The chief beheld tempestuous oceans roll; His genius, ever for the event prepar'd, Rose with the storm, and all his dangers shar'd. FIRST MATE, RODMOND. Rodmond the next degree to Albert bore; A hardy son of England's further shore ! Where bleak Northumbria pours her savage train |
