author
b. 1766
An adventurous late-18th-century English writer, he drew on years at sea and wide travel to America, India, China, and northern Europe. His work ranged from stage pieces and political pamphlets to tales and essays, giving his writing an unusually varied, restless energy.
Born in 1766, George Brewer was an English miscellaneous writer and the son of John Brewer, who was known as an art connoisseur. In his youth he served as a midshipman under several naval commanders and traveled widely, including to America, India, China, and northern Europe. In 1791 he became a lieutenant in the Swedish navy, but later left the sea, studied law in London, and worked as an attorney.
Brewer wrote in several forms rather than building a career around one kind of book. His known works include the comedy How to be Happy (1794), the tale The Motto; or, the History of Bill Woodcock (1795), the musical entertainment Bannian Day, the social pamphlet The Rights of the Poor (1800), the essay collection Hours of Leisure (1806), and the two-volume tale The Witch of Ravensworth (1808). He also contributed pieces such as the Siamese Tales and Tales of the 12 Soubahs of Indostan to magazines.
The date of Brewer's death does not appear to be firmly known. What stands out most in the surviving accounts is the mix of experience behind his writing: naval service, travel, legal work, journalism, and theater all seem to have fed into a career that was active, varied, and a little hard to pin down.