John Corry


Life
1797-?1825; b. Ravensdale, nr. Newry, Co. Down; poss. related to Isaac Corry; ed. locally; worked as journalist in Dublin, and visited London, 1792; issuedOdes and Elegies (Newry 1797), with subscribers incl. some United Irishmen; published stories, moral tales and verses in London, 1792-1820; wrote a Life of George Washington (Dublin 1801), enjoying good sales and rep. in Ireland, Britain and America and a German trans.; issued A Satirical View of the city of London (4 edns. 1801-09);
 
also Memoirs of Arthur, Duke of Wellington (1815), a Life John Priestley (1804 , a History of Bristol [Vol. I] (1816), a History of Lancashire (1825), and another on Macclesfield and Congleton (1817); poss. the contributor of num. articles over his name in Dublin Satirist, 1801-09 - though probably by a hack using his name; also Corry’s detector of quackery; often published anonymously. ODNB

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Works
Fiction
  • The Adventures of Felix and Rosarito; or, The Triumph of Love and Friendship (1802).
  • Sebastian and Zeila, or, The captive liberated by female generosity (1802).
  • Arthur and Mary, or The fortunate Fugitives (1803); T
  • The Gardener’s Daughter of Worcester; or, The miseries of Seduction: A Moral tale (1816).
  • The Preservation of Charles and Isabella; or, The Force of Friendship (1805).
  • Narratives, Illustrative of the Passions and Affections of the human mind (1815), ... &c.
Biography
  • The Life of William Cowper, Esquire: with critical observations on his poems (1803).
  • The life of Joseph Priestley, , LL.D. F.R.S. [... &c.], With critical observations on his works (1804).
  • Memoirs of Francis Goodwin, or The delusion of pride (1805).
  • Memoirs of the most noble Arthur, Duke of Wellington (1815).
  • The Life of George Washington, late president and commander in chief of the armies of the United States of America, interspersed with biographical anecdotes of ... eminent men who effected the American Revolution; dedicated, by permission, to [...] the Lord Mayor (1820; [?earlier edn. 1801]), and Do. [trans. as] Biographische Skizzen des Durchlauchtigsten Generals George Waschington, gewesenen Presidenten der Vereinigten Staaten von America, und Ober-Befehlshaber ihrer Armeen, während dem Revolutions-Kriege (Gedruckt und zu haben, bey J. Hartman, 1815; facs. rep. Libanon, Pa: 1990).
Reprints
  • Biographical memoirs of the illustrious General Washington, late president of the United States: containing a history of the principal events of his life, with his speeches to Congress, and public addresses: to which is added, An oration upon his death (Early American Rep. Ser. 1990).
  • John Lendrum, ed. & intro., A Concise and Impartial history of the American revolution: to which is prefixed, a general history of North and South America [...] with an account of the discovery and settlement of North America, and a view of the progress, character, and political state of the colonies previous to the revolution (facs. edn. 1990).
Municipal history,
  • The history of Bristol, civil and ecclesiastical: including biographical notices of eminent and distinguished natives (1810, 1816).
  • The history of Henry Thomson, or The reward of filial affection (1803).
  • The history of Lancashire (1825).
  • The history of Liverpool: from the earliest authenticated period down to the present time; illustrated with views of the principal buildings in the town and its vicinity; a map of the town, and one of the adjacent country (1810).
  • The history of Macclesfield [incorporating] the history of Congleton, the history of Knutsford, the history of Stockport, a brief history of Buxton, a brief history of Leek (1817).
Miscellaneous
  • A satirical view of London at the commencement of the nineteenth century (1801).
  • The detector of quackery; or, analyser of medical, philosophical, political, dramatic, and literary imposture (1802), and Do. [rev. as] Quack doctors dissected; or, a new, cheap, and improved edition of Corry’s ’Detector of quackery’: containing several curious anecdotes of Solomon, Brodum, Perkins and other modern empirics; with strictures on bookmakers, and puffing publishers (1810); A satirical view of London: comprehending a sketch of the manners of the age (1803); A satirical view of London: or, A descriptive sketch of the English metropolis: with strictures on men and manners (1804); A satirical view of London: comprising free strictures on the manners and amusements of the inhabitants of the English metropolis; observations on literature and the fine arts; and amusing anecdotes of public characters (1815, 1809); The English metropolis; or, London in the year: Containing satirical strictures on public manners, morals, and amusements; a young gentleman’s adventures; and characteristic anecdotes of several eminent individuals who now figure in this great theatre of temporary exhibition (1820); also, A vindication of the character of Mrs. Elizabeth Dana, wife of the Rev. Joseph Dana: shewing the impropriety and cruelty of debarring Mrs. Dana from the communion of the church / by the Impartial Observer (1806). 17pp.

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Quotations
An online version of the following text has been published by Andrew McElroy in conjunction with the index of contributors to Corry's Odes and Elegies (1979). However, the text includes passages from Corry's autobiographical writings - or "Memoirs" dated 1808 as well as a Bibliography incorporating all his main titles up to 1825, and hence cannot be from that early work and it is unclear from what source - book or journal - the "Memoirs" is taken. The 1797 volume appeared with subscriptions from United Irishmen including Lord Edward Fitzgerald, William Drennan, William Dickson, Henry Joy McCracken, Thomas Porter, and Bartholomew Teeling - as well a great many other people not associated with the Society. For the source of this copy, see McElroy’s Lurgan Ancestry web-site - online.
[...; see full copy - attached.]

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References
Bernard Share, ed., Far Green Fields, 1500 Years of Irish Travel Writing, ed. (Blackstaff 1992), gives extract from A Satirical View of London (London 1801).

RIA Dictionary of Irish Biography - there is an article on Corry by Linde Lunney, which incls. discussion of his birthplace, his poss. [illeg.] connection with Isaac Corry and his family; a marriage record involving one John Corry and Elizabeth Sweeting in Essex, 1807; the unlikelihood of his returning to Dublin to write on the Dublin Satirist, and the lack of information about him after 1825. [Attention drawn to this by Catherine Gartland, 15.01.2014.]

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COPAC lists
  • Arthur and Mary, or The fortunate fugitives (1803).
  • The life of George Washington, late president and commander in chief of the armies of the United States of America;: interspersed with biographical anecdotes of ... eminent men who effected the American Revolution; dedicated, by permission, to ... the Lord Mayor, / Corry, John, fl. 1792-(1820; earlier edn. 1801).
  • Biographical memoirs of the illustrious General Washington, late president of the United States: containing a history of the principal events of his life, with his speeches to Congress, and public addresses: to which is added, An oration upon his death (Early American Rep. Ser. 1990).
  • Biographische Skizzen des Durchlauchtigsten Generals George Waschington, gewesenen Presidenten der Vereinigten Staaten von America, und Ober-Befehlshaber ihrer Armeen, während dem Revolutions-Kriege (1990).
  • A concise and impartial history of the American revolution: to which is prefixed, a general history of North and South America ... with an account of the discovery and settlement of North America, and a view of the progress, character, and political state of the colonies previous to the revolution / ed. John Lendrum (1990).
  • The detector of quackery; or, analyser of medical, philosophical, political, dramatic, and literary imposture (1802).
  • Quack doctors dissected; or, a new, cheap, and improved edition of Corry’s ’Detector of quackery’: containing several curious anecdotes of Solomon, Brodum, Perkins and other modern empirics; with strictures on bookmakers, and puffing publishers (1810).
  • The English metropolis; or, London in the year: Containing satirical strictures on public manners, morals, and amusements; a young gentleman’s adventures; and characteristic anecdotes of several eminent individuals who now figure in this great theatre of temporary exhibition. (1820).
  • The gardener’s daughter of Worcester; or The miseries of seduction: A moral tale (1816).
  • The history of Bristol, civil and ecclesiastical: including biographical notices of eminent and distinguished natives (1810, 1816).
  • The history of Henry Thomson, or The reward of filial affection (1803); The history of Lancashire (1825).
  • The history of Liverpool: from the earliest authenticated period down to the present time; illustrated with views of the principal buildings in the town and its vicinity; a map of the town, and one of the adjacent country (1810).
  • The history of Macclesfield: (the history of Congleton, the history of Knutsford, the history of Stockport, a brief history of Buxton, a brief history of Leek) (1817).
  • The life of Joseph Priestley, , LL.D. F.R.S. &c. &c., With critical observations on his works. By John Corry (1804).
  • The life of William Cowper, esquire: With critical observations on his poems / Corry, John, b. ca. 1770. (1803).
  • Memoirs of Francis Goodwin, or The delusion of pride (1805); Memoirs of the most noble Arthur, Duke of Wellington (1815).
  • Narratives, illustrative of the passions and affections of the human mind (1815).
  • The preservation of Charles and Isabella, or The force of friendship (1805).
  • A satirical view of London at the commencement of the nineteenth century (1801); A satirical view of London: comprehending a sketch of the manners of the age (1803).
  • A satirical view of London: or, A descriptive sketch of the English metropolis: with strictures on men and manners (1804).
  • A satirical view of London: comprising free strictures on the manners and amusements of the inhabitants of the English metropolis; observations on literature and the fine arts; and amusing anecdotes of public characters (1815, 1809).
  • Sebastian and Zeila, or, The captive liberated by female generosity (1802).
  • The adventures of Felix and Rosarito; or, The triumph of love and friendship. (1802).
  • A vindication of the character of Mrs. Elizabeth Dana, wife of the Rev. Joseph Dana: shewing the impropriety and cruelty of debarring Mrs. Dana from the communion of the church / by the impartial observer (1806)

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Notes
Place of origin: The name Corry is associated with Newry, where there is a monument to members of the Protestant family, formerly owners of coal-importing business.

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