James Smith (10 February 1775 – 24 December 1839) was an English writer. He is best known as co-author of the '' Rejected Addresses'', with his younger brother Horace.

Life

Born in London, he was the second of the eight children of Robert Smith F.R.S., a solicitor, and his wife Mary Bogle; his sister Maria was the mother of Maria Abdy. He received his education at

Chigwell School Chigwell School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school in the English public school tradition located in Chigwell, in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It consists of a pre-prep (ages 4–7), Junior School (ages 7–11), Sen ...

, New College, Hackney, Nicolas Wanostrocht's academy Alfred House in Camberwell, and a commercial school. Smith entered his father's office and succeeded him as solicitor to the Board of Ordnance in 1812. He died, unmarried, at his house in

Craven Street Craven Street is a street in the City of Westminster, London, near Strand. A number of notable historical figures have lived in the street which was the home of Benjamin Franklin when he lived in London before the American Revolution. History Th ...

Strand Strand may refer to: Topography *The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a: ** Beach ** Shoreline * Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida Places Africa * Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa * Strand Street ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and was buried in the vaults of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.

''Rejected Addresses''

The occasion of this ''jeu d'esprit'' was the rebuilding of Drury Lane theatre in 1812, after a fire in which it had been burnt down. The managers had offered a prize of £50 for an address to be recited at the reopening in October. Six weeks before that date it occurred to the brothers Smith to feign that popular poets of the time had been among the competitors; and they issued a volume of unsuccessful addresses in

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...

of their various styles. James took on

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication '' Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

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and

George Crabbe George Crabbe ( ; 24 December 1754 – 3 February 1832) was an English poet, surgeon and clergyman. He is best known for his early use of the realistic narrative form and his descriptions of middle and working-class life and people. In the 177 ...

, while

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and Bowles were written by Horace. Seven editions were called for within three months, and none of the poets took offence. Byron and Scott were recorded to have said that they could hardly believe they had not written the addresses ascribed to them.

Other works

The other joint undertaking of the two brothers was ''Horace in London'' (1813). James Smith made another hit in writing ''Country Cousins, A Trip to Paris, A Trip to America'', and other skits for

Charles Mathews Charles Mathews (28 June 1776, London – 28 June 1835, Devonport) was an English theatre manager and comic actor, well known during his time for his gift of impersonation and skill at table entertainment. His play ''At Home'', in which he pl ...

, who said he was "the only man who can write clever nonsense."

Notes

References

* ;Attribution

External links

*
Rejected Addresses by Horace Smith and James Smith, from Project Gutenberg
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, James Writers from London English satirists 1775 births 1839 deaths English male writers British parodists