FALCONER (William), an ingenious Scots sailor,
who, about the year 1762, came up to London with
a pretty pathetic poem, called the Shipwreck, found-
ed on a disaster of his own experience. The publica-
tion of this piece recommended him to the late duke
of York; and he would in all probability have been
suitably preferred, if a second shipwreck, as may be
supposed, had not proved fatal to him, and to many
gentlemen of rank and fortune with whom he sailed.
In 1760, he went out a volunteer in the Aurora fri-
gate sent to carry Messrs Vanfittart, Scafton, and
Ford, the supervisors appointed to regulate our East
India settlements; which vessel, after it had touched
at the Cape of Good Hope, was never more heard of.
Before his departure, he published a very useful Ma-
rine Dictionary, in 1 vol. 4to.