During the great war, the patriotic sea-song and songs about sailors, such as those written by the Dibdins and their imitators, had attained enormous popularity on shore, and some at sea too. Charles Dibdin’s first naval song, _Blow high, blow low_, was produced about 1776, and he continued to produce till about 1810. It was said by a biographer that ‘he brought more men into the navy in war time than all the press-gangs could,’ and he boasted in his autobiography, ‘My songs have been the solace of sailors in long voyages, in storm, in battle; and they have been quoted in mutinies to the restoration of order and discipline (_Autobiography_, i. 8). Except in a very few cases, such as _Tom Bowling_, this popularity was not lasting. ‘It is doubtful,’ says Sir C. Bridge, ‘if they were even very popular in the forecastle. At places of entertainment on shore, some of them may have been heard with pleasure by seamen, but the great majority of them were either never favourites afloat, or at any rate had but a short-lived popularity. By the middle of the nineteenth century, when the old fore-bitter had still a vigorous existence, C. Dibdin’s songs were very rarely sung on board ship’ (Introduction to Stone’s _Sea Songs and Ballads_, p. xiii). Novelists and playwrights imitated Dibdin. Captain Marryat, who brought together a few genuine old songs in _Poor Jack_, inserted some nautical songs of his own composition in _Snarleyow_, the best of which is reprinted in this collection (p. 322). Others, apparently never published, which include defences of flogging and impressment, are to be found in his Life by his daughter. Captain Chamier, who published between 1830 and 1849 a number of novels in imitation of Marryat, included in them many nautical songs of his own of little merit. Captain Glascock also in his novels and sketches of naval life printed various lyrics. One seems to be the expression of a genuine feeling, viz. _The Lieutenant’s Lament_: ‘As sure as a gun We shall all be undone If longer continues the peace.’ (_Naval Sketch Book_, 1834, 2nd series, i. 267.) Of nautical plays an enormous number were produced during the first half of the nineteenth century. This species of drama reached its greatest vogue about 1830. The most successful example of it was Douglas Jerrold’s _Black-eyed Susan; or, All in the Downs_, played at the Surrey Theatre in 1829. Another successful play was Fitzball’s _Pilot_, an adaptation of Cooper’s novel of the same name, in which the hero was transformed from an American into an English sailor. The success of both was due to the acting of T. P. Cooke, who had himself served some six years in the navy and was declared by Christopher North to be ‘the best sailor that ever trod the stage.’ ‘Mr. Cooke,’ says Fitzball in his preface to _The Pilot_, ‘added a new feature to the sailor’s character. It was that of thoughtfulness and mystery--of deep-toned passion and romance.’