William Sotheby facts for kids
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William Sotheby (born November 9, 1757 – died December 30, 1833) was an English poet and translator. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which means he was part of a special group that promotes science.
William grew up in a rich family in London. He went to Harrow School and a military academy in France. When he was 17, he joined the army and served for six years. In 1780, he got married and decided to focus on writing instead of the army.
After leaving the army, Sotheby became an important person in London's writing world. Because he was wealthy, he often helped writers who were struggling. He was friends with many famous writers like Walter Scott, Byron, Wordsworth, and Coleridge.
Sotheby wrote some plays and poetry books, but they were not very popular. He is best known for his amazing translations of famous works. He translated Oberon by Christoph Martin Wieland, and the Georgics by Virgil. He also translated Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. He started working on Homer's epic poems when he was over 70 years old, but he finished them before he died. His translation of Georgics was especially praised. People said it was one of the best translations of a classic poem in English.
In November 1794, he was chosen to be a fellow of the Royal Society.
William Sotheby passed away in London in 1833 and was buried in Hackney churchyard. His close friend, Joanna Baillie, was very sad when he died. She said he was a "generous, high-minded, amiable man" with "great talents."
Sotheby's Family Life
In 1780, William Sotheby married Mary Isted. They had seven children together. Some of their children included:
- Lt-Col. William Sotheby (around 1785–1815)
- Rear-Adm. Charles Sotheby (around 1785–1854)
- George Sotheby (1787–1817), who worked for the East India Company and died in India during a war.
- Hans Sotheby (around 1780–1827), who also worked for the East India Company.
- Col. Frederick Sotheby (around 1780–1870)
