Henry Carey

author

Henry Carey

d. 1743

A lively voice from 18th-century England, this poet, dramatist, and composer mixed sharp satire with songs that stayed popular long after his death. He is still best remembered for his wit, theatrical energy, and ballads such as "Sally in Our Alley."

1 Audiobook

A Learned Dissertation on Dumpling (1726) [and] Pudding and Dumpling Burnt to Pot. Or a Compleat Key to the Dissertation on Dumpling (1727)

A Learned Dissertation on Dumpling (1726) [and] Pudding and Dumpling Burnt to Pot. Or a Compleat Key to the Dissertation on Dumpling (1727)

by Henry Carey

About the author

Working in London in the early 1700s, Henry Carey was known as a poet, playwright, and composer who moved easily between the stage and the songbook. He wrote comic and satirical pieces, often with a playful bite, and built a reputation as an entertainer with a strong ear for language and melody.

His work ranged from burlesque drama to popular songs, and later readers have especially remembered him for Sally in Our Alley and for satirical writing aimed at the politics and literary fashions of his day. Because some of his work circulated anonymously or was attributed loosely, his full output is hard to pin down, but his influence on English popular song and comic theater is clear.

Carey died in London in October 1743. Even so, his music and verse outlasted his difficult circumstances, and he has remained an interesting figure for readers who enjoy the lively, theatrical side of 18th-century literature.