MARRYAT, FREDERICK (1792-1848), English sailor and novelist, born at Westminster on July in, 1792, was the grandson of Thomas Marryat (physician, author of The Philos ophy of Masons, and writer of verse), and son of Joseph Marryat, agent for the island of Grenada, who wrote pamphlets in de fence of the Slave Trade. Young Marryat ran away to sea more than once; at 14 he entered the navy. He served with great distinction in many parts of the world until his retirement in 1830.
Marryat brought ripe experience and unimpaired vivacity to his work when he began to write novels. Frank Mildmay, or the Naval Officer, was published in 1829, and The King's Own followed in 183o. The freshness of the new field which was opened up to the imagination—so full of vivid lights and shadows, light hearted fun, grinding hardship, stirring adventure, heroic action, warm friendships, bitter hatreds—was in exhilarating contrast to the world of the historical romancer and the fashionable novelist. Moreover Marryat had an admirable gift of lucid, direct narra tive, and an unfailing fund of incident, and of humour, some times bordering on farce. Of all his portraits of adventurous sailors, "Gentleman Chucks" in Peter Simple and "Equality Jack" in Mr. Midshipman Easy are the most famous, but he created many other types which take rank among the characteristic figures in English fiction. He went on, through a quick succession of tales, Newton Forster (1832), Peter Simple (1834), Jacob Faith ful (1834), The Pacha of Many Tales (1835), Japhet in Search of a Father (1836), Mr. Midshipman Easy (1836), The Pirate and the Three Cutters (1836), till he reached his high-water mark of constructive skill in Snarley-yow, or the Dog Fiend (1837).
The best of his books after this date are those written expressly for boys, the especial favourites being Masterman Ready (1841) ; Percival Keene (1842) Monsieur Violet (1842) ; The Settlers in Canada (1844), and The Children of the New Forest (1847). Among his other works are The Phantom Ship (1839) ; A Diary in America (1839) 011a Podrida (1840), a collection of various papers; Poor Jack (184o); Joseph Rushbrook (1841) ; Privateer's Man (1844) ; The Mission, or Scenes in Africa (1845) The Little Savage (1848-49), published posthumously; and Valerie, not completed (1849). His novels form an important link between Smollett and Fielding and Charles Dickens.
Captain Marryat had retired from the naval service in 183o, becoming equerry to the duke of Sussex. He edited the Metro politan Magazine from 1832 to 1835, and some of his best stories appeared in that paper. He spent a great part of his time in Brussels. He visited Canada during Papineau's revolt and the United States in 1837, and gave a disparaging account of Ameri can institutions in a Diary published on his return to England. In 1843 he settled at Langham Manor, Norfolk. He indulged in costly experiments in farming, so that in spite of the large in come earned by his books he was not a rich man. He died at Langham on Aug. 9, 1848, his death being hastened by news of the loss of his son by shipwreck.
His daughter, Florence Marryat, herself a novelist, published his Life and Letters in 1872. See also David Hannay, Life of Marryat (1889).