William Sotheby
William Sotheby was an English poet and translator, born into a prominent military family, with notable connections including his father, a colonel in the Coldstream Guards. After his father's death, Sotheby was raised by his uncle and the Fourth Earl of Hardwicke. Following his education at Harrow, he purchased a commission in the Tenth Dragoons and served during the American Revolutionary War, focusing on coastal defense. In 1780, he married Mary Isted, retired from military service, and shifted his focus to classical studies and poetry, inspired by a walking tour of Wales.
Sotheby became an influential figure in London’s literary circles after moving there in 1791, where he joined the Dilettante Society and actively engaged with other writers. Though his poetry often received criticism, he is best known for his translation of Charles Martin Wieland's "Oberon," which contributed significantly to his literary reputation. Sotheby formed friendships with leading literary figures, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Sir Walter Scott, despite being satirized by Lord Byron in his work "Beppo." His life reflects a blend of military service and literary ambition, making him a notable figure in the context of English literature of his time.
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William Sotheby
Playwright
- Born: November 9, 1757
- Birthplace: Essex, England
- Died: December 30, 1833
Biography
William Sotheby was born into a well-connected military family. When his father, a colonel in the Coldstream Guards, died, the guardianship of the then seven-year-old boy was shared by Charles Philip York, Fourth Earl of Hardwicke (later Lord Chancellor) and his maternal uncle, Hans Sloane. As the oldest son, Sotheby also succeeded to his family’s hereditary estate of Sewardstone. After attending Harrow, Sotheby bought a commission in the Tenth Dragoons, which he only took up after studying for a time on the continent. When he finally did see military service, he served during America’s Revolutionary War, charged with guarding the Scottish coastline against threatened raids by the American admiral John Paul Jones.
In 1780, Sotheby married Mary Isted, resigned his commission, bought a new estate, and settled down to study the classics. A walking tour of Wales inspired him, like William Wordsworth, to write poetry inspired by the beauty of the natural world. Although his verse-making was clumsy, it whetted his appetite. In 1791, Sotheby took up part-time residence in London in order to cultivate literary society.
From a modern perspective, it is amusing to read that in 1791 he was elected to the Dilettante Society. Soon, however, Sotheby was an active participant in London literary life, writing numerous verse plays and creating the classic translation of Charles Martin Wieland’s 1780 verse fantasy Oberon. Sotheby’s literary fame rests on this work, but he is also remembered for his friendships with many of the leading literary lights of his day. Although Lord Byron satirized Sotheby in Beppo (1818) as Mr. Botherby, an “antique gentleman of rhyme,” Sotheby could claim close relationships with such diverse writers as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Sir Walter Scott.