Henry Carey (c. 1687–1743) was an English poet, dramatist, and composer whose career epitomized the struggles and triumphs of the professional writer in the early eighteenth century. Lacking an inheritance, aristocratic title, or government patronage, Carey relied entirely on his creative output to earn a living. He wrote across a wide range of commercially viable genres, producing numerous plays, operas, and songs, while successfully maintaining his own distinct political and artistic voice.
A significant portion of Carey's musical and literary output remains difficult to catalog fully because he frequently worked in anonymity, selling his compositions to others who published them under their own names. Despite this, he was recognized as a highly prolific songwriter and balladeer who wrote the lyrics for nearly all of his musical compositions. Much of his surviving musical work was created as incidental music for the theater, and several of his melodies remained popular and continued to be performed long after his death.
Carey was also a prominent figure in the political and theatrical landscapes of his day. As an anti-Walpolean satirist, he used his writing to critique the contemporary ministry, scoring notable political points through his sharp wit. He became a leading figure in the emerging "Patriotic" movement in English drama. His most famous enduring work is the satirical play Chrononhotonthologos, which cemented his reputation as a master of theatrical parody and satire.
