WILLIAM HAYLEY BIOGRAPHY

HAYLEY, WILLIAM (1745-1820). —Poet and biographer, was born at Chichester, and ed. at Eton and Camb. Though overstrained and romantic, he had some literary ability, and was a good conversationalist. He was the friend of Cowper, whose Life he wrote; and it was to his influence with Pitt that the granting of a pension to the poet was due. He was the author of numerous poems, including The Triumph of Temper , and of Essays on History and Epic Poetry , and, in addition to his biography of Cowper, wrote a Life of Milton . On the death of Thos. Warton in 1790 he was offered, but declined, the Laureateship. Of him Southey said, "Everything about that man is good except his poetry."