author
James Smith
1775–1839
Best known for the wildly clever Rejected Addresses, this English humorist turned parody into a literary event. Writing with his brother Horace, he helped capture the playful, theatrical spirit of early 19th-century London.
1 Audiobook
Rejected Addresses; Or, The New Theatrum Poetarum
by James Smith, Horace Smith
About the author
Born in London on February 10, 1775, he was an English writer remembered chiefly for his wit, parodies, and light verse. He worked as a solicitor, following his father into the office connected with the Board of Ordnance, while also building a reputation in literary and social circles.
His lasting fame rests on Rejected Addresses (1812), a comic collaboration with his younger brother Horace Smith. The book playfully imitated the styles of well-known poets of the day and became his best-known work.
He died in London on December 24, 1839. Though not as widely read now as some of his contemporaries, he still stands out as a sharp, entertaining voice in English literary humor.