William Beloe

William Beloe (1756 – April 11, 1817) was an English divine and miscellaneous writer.

Beloe was born at Norwich the son of a tradesman, and received a liberal education. After a day school in Norwich he was schooled under the Rev. Matthew Raine, who taught at Hartforth; and subsequently under Samuel Parr, whom he describes as "severe, wayward, and irregular". His departure from Parr's school at Stanmore was hastened by quarrels with his schoolfellows, and at Benet College, Cambridge he got into trouble by writing epigrams. Parr, on becoming headmaster of Norwich grammar school, offered him the assistant mastership. Beloe held this post for three years, but seemingly unhappily.

During his time at Norwich Beloe married, and then went to London, where he worked for publishers. In 1793 he established, with Robert Nares, the British Critic, the first forty-two volumes of which were partly edited by him. He also, according to his biographer in the Gentleman's Magazine, "gave his assistance in editing various books of considerable popularity and importance, which it is less expedient to specify", doubtless because the reputed authors' obligations to him were too extensive.

In 1796 Beloe was presented to the rectory of Allhallows, London Wall, and in 1803 became keeper of printed books at the British Museum. Being held responsible for thefts by a person named Dighton, he was dismissed from the Museum in 1806. He died on 11 April 1817, embittered by ill-health and other circumstances not precisely stated.

One of Beloe's publisher commissions was to translate Samuel Parr's preface to Bellendenus into English, a piece of work that impressed Richard Porson. He successively brought out translations of Coluthus, Alciphron (with Thomas Monro), Herodotus, and Aulus Gellius (preface by Parr); and co-operated in William Tooke's Biographical Dictionary. He published (1795) three volumes of miscellanies.

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