Poor Jack

Published in 1798 by Bowles and Carver, this mezzotint depicts a sailor standing on the seashore. He is wearing typical eighteenth-century sailor dress – a short jacket and sailor’s slops with a high-crowned hat. He is holding a cane in his right hand and gestures with his left hand towards a cherub in the sky. In the background, a ship is at anchor flying the Union Flag.

Inscribed below the illustration is the song ‘Poor Jack’ by Charles Dibdin (spelt ‘Dibden’ on the print). The song describes the titular sailor’s optimism and patriotism as he faces the challenges of seafaring. In a repeated refrain, he claims to be under divine protection: ‘There’s a sweet little cherub sits perch’d up aloft / to keep watch for the life of Poor Jack’.

‘Poor Jack’ was one of Dibdin’s most popular songs and its imagery was represented in many prints. Often the song was represented by a sailor pointing to a cherub, in reference to the divine protection that the sailor claimed to enjoy, but in other versions the sailor was depicted saying goodbye to his sweetheart, Poll, who is also mentioned in the song.