William Benson Earle facts for kids
William Benson Earle (born in 1740, died in 1796) was a kind English person who used his money to help others. This is called being a philanthropist. He was born in Shaftesbury, a town in England, but he spent most of his life in Salisbury. He is remembered for all the good things he did for that city.
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Early Life and Education
William Benson Earle was born in 1740. He was the oldest son of Harry Benson Earle. He grew up in Salisbury, England.
For his education, William first went to Salisbury Cathedral School. This school was located right in the cathedral area. After that, he attended Winchester College, which is another famous school. He then went to Merton College, Oxford, a university. He earned his first degree there in 1761 and a master's degree in 1764.
Travels and Achievements
After finishing his studies, William went on a big trip around Europe. This journey, from 1765 to 1767, was called the Grand Tour. It was a common trip for wealthy young men at that time to learn about art, history, and culture.
In 1773, William was chosen to be a fellow of the Royal Society. This is a special honor given to people who have made important discoveries or contributions in science.
Helping Others
When his father passed away in 1776, William inherited a lot of money. He used his wealth to support many good causes.
William Benson Earle died in Salisbury on March 2, 1796. He was buried in a place called Newton Tony. A beautiful statue was made in his memory by a famous artist named John Flaxman. You can see this statue in Salisbury Cathedral.
In his will, William left large amounts of money to different learning groups and charities. A picture of him was also made in 1769 by Prince Hoare. This was paid for by the Society of Arts.
His Writings
When William came back from his European trip, he wrote several short books. These books described his travels. Two of them, A Description of Vallombrosa and A Picturesque View of the Glaciers in Savoy, were shared in a magazine called the Monthly Miscellany.
He also wrote A Letter to Lord Littelton. This letter described a big volcano eruption of Mount Etna in 1766. It was a follow-up to an older letter about an eruption in 1669.
In 1786, William helped publish a new edition of a book called Characters. This book was written by Bishop John Earle. William found out who the real author was and made sure it was known.
A Talented Musician
William Benson Earle was not just a writer and a helper. He was also a talented musician! He composed glees, which are songs for several voices. He also wrote a Sanctus and a Kyrie. These are parts of a church service. Sometimes, his music was performed in Salisbury Cathedral.
