William SothebyFRS (9 November 1757 – 30 December 1833) was an Englishpoet and translator. He was born into a wealthy London family, the son of Col. William and Elizabeth (née Sloan) Sotheby, and was educated at Harrow School and the Military Academy, Angers, France before joining the army at 17, where he served for six years until his marriage in 1780, when he devoted himself to literature.[1]
He published a few dramas and books of poems that had limited success; his reputation rests upon his translations of the Oberon of Christoph Martin Wieland, the Georgics of Virgil, and the Iliad and Odyssey by Homer. The last two were begun when he was over 70, but he lived to complete them. His Georgics in particular advanced his reputation[2] and was praised in the Edinburgh Review as, if not "the most perfect translation of a classic poet now extant in our language, it is assuredly capable of being advanced to that high distinction."[3]
Sotheby died in London in 1833 and was buried in Hackney churchyard. Joanna Baillie, a close friend of Sotheby's for "nearly thirty years" mourned his passing: "A more generous, high-minded, amiable man never lived, and this, taken together with his great talents & acquirements, makes a Character which cannot be replaced."[5]
Family
In 1780 he married Mary née Isted and they had seven children, among them:[6]
George Sotheby EICo (1787–1817) died at Nagpur in the Maharatta war
Hans Sotheby EICo (c. 1780–1827)
Col. Frederick Sotheby CB (c. 1780–1870)
References
^ abOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sotheby, William". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 435.
^"Library and Archive Catalogue". Royal Society. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
^Baillie, Joanna (2010). Thomas McLean (ed.). Further Letters of Joanna Baillie. Madison, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. p. 150. ISBN978-0-8386-4149-1.
william, sotheby, november, 1757, december, 1833, english, poet, translator, born, into, wealthy, london, family, william, elizabeth, née, sloan, sotheby, educated, harrow, school, military, academy, angers, france, before, joining, army, where, served, years,. William Sotheby FRS 9 November 1757 30 December 1833 was an English poet and translator He was born into a wealthy London family the son of Col William and Elizabeth nee Sloan Sotheby and was educated at Harrow School and the Military Academy Angers France before joining the army at 17 where he served for six years until his marriage in 1780 when he devoted himself to literature 1 Poems by William Sotheby 1825 Sotheby then became a prominent figure in London literary society His wealth enabled him to play the part of patron to many struggling authors and his friends included Walter Scott Byron Wordsworth Coleridge Robert Southey Arthur Hallam and Thomas Moore 1 He published a few dramas and books of poems that had limited success his reputation rests upon his translations of the Oberon of Christoph Martin Wieland the Georgics of Virgil and the Iliad and Odyssey by Homer The last two were begun when he was over 70 but he lived to complete them His Georgics in particular advanced his reputation 2 and was praised in the Edinburgh Review as if not the most perfect translation of a classic poet now extant in our language it is assuredly capable of being advanced to that high distinction 3 He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in November 1794 4 Sotheby died in London in 1833 and was buried in Hackney churchyard Joanna Baillie a close friend of Sotheby s for nearly thirty years mourned his passing A more generous high minded amiable man never lived and this taken together with his great talents amp acquirements makes a Character which cannot be replaced 5 Family EditIn 1780 he married Mary nee Isted and they had seven children among them 6 Lt Col William Sotheby c 1785 1815 Rear Adm Charles Sotheby 7 c 1785 1854 George Sotheby EICo 1787 1817 died at Nagpur in the Maharatta war Hans Sotheby EICo c 1780 1827 Col Frederick Sotheby CB c 1780 1870 References Edit a b One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Sotheby William Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 25 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 435 One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Cousin John William 1910 Sotheby William A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature London J M Dent amp Sons via Wikisource Edinburgh Review VIII 1804 p 303 Library and Archive Catalogue Royal Society Retrieved 20 October 2010 Baillie Joanna 2010 Thomas McLean ed Further Letters of Joanna Baillie Madison NJ Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press p 150 ISBN 978 0 8386 4149 1 Lee Sidney 1898 Sotheby William In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 53 London Smith Elder amp Co For more on Charles Sotheby see O Byrne William R 1849 Sotheby Charles A Naval Biographical Dictionary London John Murray External links EditLee Sidney 1898 Sotheby William In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 53 London Smith Elder amp Co Works by or about William Sotheby at Wikisource Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Sotheby amp oldid 1097732365, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
